Meet Me Halfway
by hunnyfresh
Summary: Emma Swan works hard every night as a bartender, struggling to raise her son and save up enough to own her own bar. Regina Mills is an upper class New York photographer who wouldn't normally spare a second glance at people below her. When their paths cross, their lives adapt to each other, but how much are they willing to change?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any recognizable characters.**

**AN: This was a prompt from **yoomsspeakeasy** over on Tumblr. It is loosely based on the movie Coyote Ugly, if you haven't seen it, Piper Perabo is in it, so that's incentive enough. This one will be multi-chaptered and very AU, so there's no curse or magic. I hope you guys enjoy this one and thanks for the prompt!**

* * *

The Wooden Whale was packed for a Saturday night. The regulars sat at their usual spots at the bar and around the pool table, women pressed against them grinding to the sound of the upbeat techno pop music blaring through the speakers, while the overload of people happily crowded the bar eager to get a peek at the sultry bartenders behind the counter.

Emma Swan grinned as she tossed a shaker in the air and caught it behind her back, bringing it to the side to continue to shake the mixture in it while simultaneously filling up the beer of a patron from the tap. With easy movements, she poured the cocktail into a glass while sliding the beer over to its owner. She cast a wink over to the gentleman who tipped her lavishly.

That was the beauty of her job. Emma had been manager of this unique little bar for five years now. August, the owner, had taken her in when she had been in a tight spot six years ago, and he hadn't regretted it since. She was his best bartender, entertaining the crowds, building rapport with the customers, and always working hard, doing whatever she needed to do to get the job done.

That's probably why she was the best dancer in the house too.

The Wooden Whale was well-known in the seedier parts of New York to have cheap beer, good music, and hot bartenders. On weekends, the bartenders would provide a little show for the regulars, dancing on countertops, taking shots with them, and keeping the customers happy.

Just like serving drinks, Emma rose to the top at being the most-tipped dancer, flirting with men and women alike to ease a few dollars out of their pockets. It never bothered her, the rowdy groping atmosphere. In fact, it was the one place where she had complete control over her life.

After years of being tossed around from family to family in the foster care system and years spent working far worse jobs than what she was doing now, Emma had a steady job, an income, though it wasn't as high as she would like, and a family consisting of her son and work friends whom she called her own.

For six nights a week, Emma danced on tables, poured shots, and collected just enough tips to pay rent and feed her eight-year old. It wasn't the life she dreamed of, nor was it the life she wanted for Henry, but she got by and would sometimes have enough leftover to save for the day when she would one day own her own bar.

This night was a good night for Emma. With the sudden influx of customers who were drinking quite heavily, it was easy for the blonde to earn her wages in tips. She laughed, rolling the wads of bills she'd received and placing the roll in between her cleavage tucking it safely into her bra.

Ruby held her hand out to help Emma down from the counter as the heavy bass of the song died down. "I don't know how you do it," the brunette said.

"What?" Emma asked already refilling a round for a group of college boys. She looked up to the counter where her friend was pointing to their makeshift dance floor, this particular section where the pole was stationed, and shrugged noncommittally. "Come on, Rubes. You make just as much as I do."

"I don't have people regularly coming out every weekend requesting me to dance," the leggy brunette replied pouring a tray of shots, downing the one offered to her, and cheering with the crowd she had served.

Emma just laughed, shaking her head as she grabbed the shaker and mixing a drink, already back in serving mode.

Hours later when the blonde stood on the counter, cupping her hands around her mouth and yelled out last call, she performed one more dance, bringing Ruby up on stage with her making the crowd go wild. By the end of the song, she was ushering people out to close for the night, tucking her tips safely away. She got almost a hundred dollars from that dance alone.

Emma leaned over the counter, wiping down the spilled alcohol and gathering any stray tumblers. She waved a hand to Ruby and the other bartenders as they left the bar for the night, or rather, early morning.

As soon as the door shut, Emma released the yawn she had been holding in since she arrived for her shift the night before. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to rest, leaning her back against the bar to catch her breath and rub the tiredness from her eyes. She hadn't had a night off in weeks, and the lack of sleep was starting to catch up with her.

The minute rest was up, and Emma moved to the register, counting the night's profits. After double checking, she locked the bills in the safe behind the bar and began shutting off the lights. Her eyes rolled when she noticed the passed out patron sitting in a booth at the far back. Lucky for her he wasn't a huge guy, so she called a cab, poked at him for a minute until he was groggy enough to let her help him out of the bar and into the awaiting cab.

She checked her phone, loathed to find it was almost 3am. She'd be up in four hours to get Henry ready for school. Noticing she had a voice mail, she clicked the icon and listened attentively to the tinny voice of her landlord saying her rent from last month was overdue.

Emma kicked back on the brick wall she was leaning on as the message continued. Only now had she remembered that she used the rent money to get Henry some clothes for school. The kid loved his new outfits, so the blonde couldn't even really be upset at the fact. So much for a good night though. Most of what she had made tonight would be going towards her apartment with the leftover used for necessities. The dream of owning her own bar was moving further and further away.

She kicked at a garbage can angrily, frightening the alley cats and causing a couple of lights from overhead apartments to turn on in anger. Emma was beyond caring at the moment. Right now, she just wanted to go home and sleep, to forget about money and rent and everything.

Heels clicking on the wet pavement sounded behind her followed by a stern clearing of a throat. "Excuse me?"

* * *

Around the time Emma was rolling her tips into a wad and stuffing it down her cleavage, halfway across town, Regina Mills was sitting in an extravagant auction house, purchasing art and rare treasures for small fortunes with New York's elite.

The items up for bid held their own value, of course, what with one of a kind vases circa 1882, throw rugs worth the equivalent of a college student's tuition, and original canvas paintings, the real value of the night came in the form of who among them had the most money.

Regina sat near the front, her family name already prevalent in the minds of the auction goers with her parents owning a multimillion dollar chain of hotels. Despite having her name in the society section of the newspapers since birth, Regina had made a name for herself with her photography, her gallery garnering quite a following with both elitists and amateurs alike.

Now she sat bored with her friend Kathryn, a wealthy heiress due to the fact that her father's company stumbled upon black gold years prior.

"What's wrong?" The blonde nudged. "You're usually buying out the whole place at these things."

"No, dear. That would be you," Regina said sipping her champagne.

Kathryn nodded her head in agreement. "Well you must buy something."

Regina rolled her eyes before holding up her paddle, apparently placing a five hundred dollar bid on an intricately designed Chinese hand fan. "Must I?"

"You seem to be doing it now," the blonde quipped.

"Why do these auctions go so late anyway? I have to make sure the gallery is in order for my next showing." The brunette complained before raising her paddle again to up the bid.

"Your gallery is fine," Kathryn insisted. "You just want to get out of here."

"Is that such a crime?"

The blonde laughed. "Grab your car. I know a friend who is entertaining tonight, and you need to get your mind off your gallery for five minutes."

Regina held her paddle in the air at the last minute, stealing the bid at a thousand dollars while the room clapped at her purchase. She eyed the woman beside her as she stood and made her exit to the door.

What harm could following her friend to a social event do?

* * *

The harm, Regina soon found out, came in the form of losing Kathryn's Volvo as it weaved through the streets of Manhattan at a speed that was ungodly even in the big city. Her Benz couldn't prevent the blonde woman who sped up during a yellow light to leave Regina stranded at an intersection. By the time Regina had continued the journey, she had to guess which direction her friend had gone.

She had pulled over numerous times, attempting to call Kathryn, but every attempt had her call being sent straight to voicemail. So Regina drove hoping to find her way back to familiar territory, but as the street lamps began to become more and more sparse and the people walking the street became more grunge looking, Regina knew she was in a part of town she didn't want to be in.

Her fingers clenched tightly around the steering wheel as she looked for any street signs that weren't vandalized or any sort of landmark to direct herself back home.

She was in no such luck.

She mentally cursed Kathryn for convincing her to leave the auction, and she concocted ways at getting back at her friend. Her scheming was cut short when a loud pop sounded beneath her, and her Benz lowered to the ground at an awkward angle.

Her mouth dropped at what just happened. _Of course_ her car's tire popped. Of course it had to happen in a seedy part of town. Why wouldn't it have happened where there was actually civilization?

She let her head drop onto the steering wheel before putting the car in park. She was driving a Mercedes. No doubt someone would attempt to steal the car especially in this neighbourhood. The last thing she wanted to do was be attacked in some thug's quest to turn her precious vehicle into scrap metal. She needed to get out of here and fast.

Scrambling in her glove compartment, Regina pulled out her cell phone only to be met with a black screen. She pushed any available buttons but was met with the same result. Her phone was dead.

Perfect.

What was she supposed to do? Hope someone came looking for her? She was no damsel in distress, that much was clear when she refused to go into the family business and instead took up photography.

Looking around for any sign of civilized life, she saw a taxi cab pull up in front of her. A man was being dragged out of some establishment and placed in the cab leaving the person who helped him alone and turning to lock the door they had exited from. Regina squinted at the neon sign above the person's head, an outline of a bright blue whale squirting out water from its blowhole shined brightly in the night under a flashing sign proclaiming the place as The Wooden Whale. _Oh god what had she gotten herself in?_

The sound of a boot hitting against brick had her looking up to see the person under the sign pace. Upon closer inspection, Regina could see that the frame of the person was thin and toned, small and feminine, and to her relief she realized it was a woman.

Grabbing her coat, wallet, and phone, any truly valuable items she could carry, Regina slammed the door shut and cautiously made her way to the woman who seemed to be groaning on the phone. She paused her track when the woman kicked at a garbage can, a mangly feline yowled from the shock before sprinting away.

As soon as the other woman seemed to calm, Regina approached closer, her head held high and her voice strong despite the very real possibility that she could be mugged at any moment and cleared her throat. "Excuse me?"

* * *

Emma turned at the sound of the soft voice, taking in the lithe brunette with diamonds around her neck, her short hair perfectly coiffed, and no doubt the hoity toity dress she was wearing was worth more than what Emma made in a month. Raising an eyebrow at the diamond in the rough, Emma spoke. "What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

The blunt question distinguishing her difference from her environment made Regina falter for a moment, but she stepped closer, insistent, using her tone of authority with the younger woman before her clad in jean shorts, cowboy boots, and a tank top that reaked of alcohol. "I need to use a phone. My car broke down."

Emma looked past the brunette to see her lopsided Benz and whistled impressed. "You're a long way from home."

"Don't I know it," the brunette mumbled, tilting her head to the side. "Are you able to provide me with a phone, or do I need to scour these streets for someone more accommodating?"

The manager raised her eyebrow again, this time in surprised curiosity. For a fish out of water, the older woman before her was definitely ballsy. "Lady, I'm the most accommodating person you're gonna meet tonight."

With that Emma tossed Regina her phone, the brunette fumbling to catch it before quickly reciting off the number of Michael's tow truck company. Michael had gotten her out of one too many roadside accidents. She wandered off a few paces to let the woman have her time, mentally smirking at the shocked tone she had when no doubt Michael yelled at her for waking him at an ungodly hour. Emma was more than surprised and impressed when the woman yelled back, demanding he provide his services, and gasped glaring into the phone when he had apparently hung up on her.

Emma was tired and just wanted to go home, but this little show was totally worth the extra minutes she wasn't in bed.

"No luck?" She asked.

"I need another company. Apparently Mr. Tillman isn't open until he's open, and there is no way in hell I am waiting for the oaf," Regina said to the device already waiting to input numbers.

"You're gonna have to."

The brunette whipped her head up.

"Michael's is the local shop. No one else comes down here," the blonde explained holding her hand out for her phone.

The brunette begrudgingly gave it to her, her eyes narrowing at the younger woman as if tonight was her fault. "So I'm just expected to wait here until then?"

"Yeah, that's generally what it means," Emma answered snippily.

Regina mentally fumed, turning to stalk a few paces away before releasing a calming breath through her teeth. When she turned, her angry expression was replaced with that of a practiced smile that even Emma could tell was a ruse. "Forgive me, Ms.-?"

"Swan. Emma Swan."

"Ms. Swan," Regina said then returned to the blonde to offer her hand which Emma took cautiously. "It's late. I'm sure you have places to be as do I. I really need to be getting back, and I am in dire need of a tow truck."

Emma looked around as if looking for back up against this insistent woman before running her fingers through her golden locks. "I think I got a spare in my car. I can-"

"Absolutely not."

Emma stared at her dumbfounded.

"I said I needed a tow truck and a mechanic. No offence, dear, but you look like neither."

The blonde folded her arms across her chest, all pretenses of being polite thrown out the window. "Look lady, Michael's not gonna come until he feels like it now that you've yelled at him, so either let me put a tire on your car or find someone else to talk down to."

"Don't call me 'lady'," the brunette huffed. "My name is Regina Mills."

She brushed back her head as if her name alone would have the blonde cowering in fear. It did nothing. All it served to do was make Emma turn down the street mumbling under her breath. "Yeah, you don't act like a lady."

"Excuse me?" Regina rushed forward pulling on Emma's arm.

Emma spun to face her, mirroring the brunette's annoyance and aggravation in her own green eyes. "Okay, _Regina_. I just want to go home, so if you want, I can let you into the bar as long as you promise not to steal anything."

Emma didn't give her a chance to consider her offer before she was already in front of the entrance, pulling out the keys to unlock the place. She opened the door, waiting for the ice queen to step through which she did with an indignant huff.

As soon as Emma turned on the lights, the bar usually filled to capacity with rowdy men and women was blessedly empty with the stools turned up onto their tables, the floors mopped and the counters dried. She watched as Regina surveyed the area with obvious disdain.

"You own this place?"

"No," Emma said, taking down a bar stool and placing it on the ground before habitually moving around the counter. "I'm just the manager."

She watched as the brunette eyed the bar stool and quickly shrugged out of her coat to settle it over the chair before sitting. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"What tipped you off? The Mercedes stranded in a rundown gutter or the Chanel coat draped over a barstool that hasn't been cleaned in years?" Regina replied sarcastically.

Emma pointed at the stool. "That's new."

Regina rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"Water?" Emma offered pouring herself a glass from the tap.

The brunette eyed the water from the tap and visibly shuddered. "No thank you."

"Suit yourself," Emma mumbled before downing the glass and rinsing it before replacing it back in the rack. "So you'll be okay here right? I'll be back when Michael gets here to lock it back up."

"You were serious?" Regina asked her mouth agape.

"Yeah, it's like three in the morning," the blonde answered obviously, lingering awkwardly by the door.

"Precisely why you shouldn't leave a stranger in your bar," Regina reasoned.

"I'm pretty sure you're not gonna steal anything," Emma snorted.

"Will your boss really want you to take that chance?" The brunette had swivelled in her seat, staring intensely at the blonde bartender.

Emma held her gaze, wondering whether the woman before her was absolutely serious. Judging by her need to have things done immediately, Emma didn't doubt that this posh woman would call August up or do something that would incriminate Emma. Growling under her breath, Emma moved to a booth and plopped down in the seat.

Both women remained quiet, the soft staccato clicking of Emma's cell phone as she sent a text was the only sound in the quiet of the bar. She desperately fought through the tiredness, forcing her eyes open. When she felt them drift shut again, she sat up abruptly, slightly pleased that she had made the brunette sitting at the counter jump. Smirking to herself, she shook off the sleep before resting back against the booth.

"So what were you doing here?" Emma asked to make conversation.

"I was supposed to meet friends," Regina provided easily. "I got lost."

"Where were you coming from?"

Regina paused to eye the hidden blonde in the booth. "That's a bit personal, don't you think?"

Emma grunted a response, already losing the battle to sleep.

"Aren't you supposed to be used to the night life?" Regina asked.

"Just because I work night shifts doesn't mean I sleep away my days," Emma answered.

"Let me guess," Regina mused. "You have a second job that requires your morning attention."

The blonde snorted but smiled to herself thinking of her son. "You could say that."

"By all means, rest away then."

"Can't do that," the bartender gruffed. "You might steal something."

Emma didn't have to see her to know Regina had rolled her eyes. Slowly losing the battle to sleep, Emma got up and started pacing, slapping at her cheeks to keep her awake. She pulled out her phone to send a text to Michael, begging him to come sooner. When she was met with no response, she moved to a pool table and started racking up the balls.

"What are you doing?" The brunette asked haughtily.

"Pool," Emma answered removing the triangle frame. "You play?"

When Regina didn't answer, Emma just moved into position making the break. For two hours, the women just settled into the room, Regina not leaving her spot from the bar and Emma improving her pool table skills as much as she could despite her inability to remain upright for too long. The time was cut with sporadic questions, but Emma was too tired to pry, and Regina was too private to reveal.

Emma had bent over the table, prepared to take a shot when her tiredness got the better of her and her eyes slipped close for a few minutes. Huffing, she dropped the cue stick on the table, the balls rattling against the felt and wood before grabbing her keys and heading out.

"Where the hell are you going?" Regina said appalled, grabbing her purse and coat and following the blonde. The last thing she wanted was to be alone in a place like this.

Emma didn't answer and instead walked across the street to her beetle, popping the trunk and yanking out a tire. She turned sharply to Regina, barely registering how close the brunette stood beside her. "I am fixing your car. End of story."

She rolled the tire to the Benz on the other side of the street before retreating to her car and pulling out a jack.

"You can't just do that!" Regina shrieked.

The blonde ignored her anger, positioning the jack under the driver's side hood and cranked the tool to lift the car.

"If you get one scratch on my car–"

"Relax, your Majesty," Emma grunted sprinting back to her car to grab the tools needed to change a tire. "I've done this before."

Regina held herself as she watched the blonde remove the broken tire from her Mercedes then rolled her own spare in its place. The new tire wasn't a perfect fit, but according to the blonde's words, it would do for now. She took a step back when Emma straightened, wiping the grease off her hands by transferring it to her jeans.

"There," Emma said more annoyed than satisfied. "You can go back home to your penthouse now."

She brushed past the brunette, depositing her tools in the trunk and slamming it shut.

"It's not a penthouse, it's a condo," Regina found herself saying. When she spoke again, her voice was snippy and curt. "Don't let me keep you from making children's happy meals."

Emma turned but continued walking backwards to her car. "Head straight and make a left. Follow that road and you'll hit the interstate. You're welcome."

She turned before she could see Regina's annoyed expression, but the sound of her door slamming shut indicated she was every bit aggravated. By the time the blonde was in her car, Emma watched as Regina sped away in her high and mighty sophisticated glory.

She was pulling up to her apartment an hour later, somehow stuck in traffic that was ever-present in New York, and bypassed her floor to head to the one above where her friend, a young mother named Ashley, watched her son most nights. She helped herself into the apartment, throwing a sleepy hello to the young blonde in the kitchen alcove who was feeding her baby as she dropped onto the sofa, finally letting her eyes rest.

Less than a minute later, a heavy weight sat on her back. "Hey Mom!"

Emma cracked open a bloodshot eye before sitting up and pecking her son's forehead. "Let's get ready for school, kid."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer in Chapter One**

**AN: Thank you so much for the great reception to the first chapter! You guys are great :)**

* * *

"Where were you last night?" Kathryn asked over a late lunch with Regina. When she realized the brunette hadn't been following her, she attempted numerous times to call her only to be directed to her voicemail. The text message she'd receive that morning had her breathing out a sigh of relief that her friend was in one piece.

"You drive like a maniac," Regina answered clearly annoyed. "And you left me stranded in the slums of New York."

"No," Kathryn gasped, a hand on her chest for emphasis. "Did you get mugged?"

"No. Thank god," the brunette answered piercing a fork into her apple salad.

"Then where were you all night?" Kathryn leaned in, her voice low. "Did you meet someone?"

Regina glared at her friend. "My phone died and I got a flat tire. Luckily enough it broke down a few blocks away from a bar."

"So you did meet someone," the blonde grinned wickedly, sipping from her wine glass.

"If you call a stubborn, manner-less, rude bar manager good company then yes, I suppose I met someone," Regina grounded out, already angry at the mere memory of Emma Swan. "She eventually replaced my popped tire."

"So that's why your Benz was in the shop this morning," Kathryn pieced together. After a beat, she pointed to Regina with her fork, mischief and wonder in her eyes. "What was it like?"

"Dirty. Wreaks of alcohol and body odour."

"So it wasn't that bad based on a normal human standard?" The blonde quipped.

"I beg your pardon?" Regina gaped.

Kathryn ignored her friend's expression. "Do you remember where it is?"

"It was called the Wooden Whale." She eyed the blonde carefully, brown eyes narrowed in questioning. "Why?"

Kathryn simply grinned mischievously.

* * *

Emma had managed to get her sleep when Henry laughed and reminded her that it was Sunday. After pulling herself up and off the couch and thanking Ashley again, Emma led her son downstairs to their apartment before crashing for a solid eight hours. She usually spent as much time as she could with Henry, but as the boy got older he was all too aware of the late hours his mom kept and let her sleep as much as she could, preoccupying himself with books or homework.

It pained her that when Henry had suggested to eat out that night, she thought about the overdue rent and was forced to say no, but the boy didn't seem one bit disappointed, and instead helped his mother crack open a box of KD before he had to go back to Ashley's for the night.

It was that guilt of sleeping through the day and not being able to provide her kid with a simple fast food meal that made Emma hit the counter more often than usual that Sunday night, wearing her shortest shorts, a ripped v-neck t-shirt with a black lacy bra, and bring all too eager men on stage with her. She didn't realize that in her fifth dance, an unlikely person had begrudgingly stumbled into the bar and had kept her brown eyes locked on her all throughout her dance. With a final swing around the pole that August had jokingly installed but turned out to be a great crowd pleaser, Emma stepped down from the counter, pocketing tips into the strap of her bra before nodding her head at a young blonde woman who looked much too dignified to be in a bar like this if her designer jeans and Louis Vuitton clutch were anything to go by.

"What can I get you?" Emma asked wiping the table in front of her.

"You tend the bars too. Impressive."

Emma did her best not to roll her eyes and simply smiled tightly. "Let me guess. Cosmopolitan?"

Without waiting for an answer, Emma began mixing the drink when a familiar voice sounded beside her customer. "Actually make mine an Apple Martini."

Emma looked up quickly upon hearing the voice, legitimately surprised to see the one and only Regina Mills. The blonde bartender smirked as she shook the cocktail and used her free hand to prepare the martini. "What's a girl like you doing back in a place like this?"

Her blonde friend raised an eyebrow between the brunette and bartender and spoke none too quietly to Regina. "This is her?"

"One in the same," Regina answered, her eyes never leaving Emma's.

"Let me guess," Emma said as she shook the martini shaker before pouring both into two cocktail glasses. "Your car broke down."

Regina laughed. "Please. Like that's ever going to happen again."

"Then I want my tire back," Emma said with a shrug sliding over the women's drink.

Kathryn took hers, sipping on the alcohol as she watched the back and forth exchange.

"You want your tire back?" Regina asked appalled and amused. "Here I was about to pay you for your mechanical services, but if all you want is your tire."

Emma shook her head smiling tightly before moving down a few people to refill a few pitchers from the tap. When she passed by Regina again she was surprised when the brunette slapped down a few hundred dollar bills. "That should suffice, yes?"

Emma eyed the money, knowing she could desperately use it, but the self-righteous smirk currently plastered on Regina's face made the blonde push the bills back towards the brunette. "Thanks, but no thanks."

"Excuse me?" Regina asked following Emma down the bar as she catered to patrons, leaving behind her friend who quickly took an interest in the brunette hunk who began chatting her up. "Surely that's more than what you make when you swing around that pole."

"I'm not a stripper," Emma retorted defensively, nearly yelling over the loudspeaker as she grabbed a bottle of gin and tossed it around her body effortlessly like some juggling act.

"Oh I'm sorry. Exotic dancer." Regina's eyes sparkled challengingly until she noticed Emma's attention was on the men enjoying her bottle show. "Can you stop that?"

"Am I distracting you?" Emma turned abruptly, nearly leaning completely over the counter and poured a gin and tonic mixture for them men while keeping her eyes firmly on the brunette. "Call me what you want, but I actually work to make a living, and I don't need your charity."

The blonde collected an empty tray of glasses before depositing it on the rack for the dish boy to wash then turned sharply back to Regina.

"And if you're just here to mock me, then you're out of luck because sister, you're in my world now," the blonde said with an arrogant eyebrow raise as she twirled two bottles of vodka in her hands before pouring them in a row of shots. A crowd of men pushed forward taking one and cheered, leaving Regina uncomfortably squished in the middle.

Breaking free Regina scoffed attempting to regain some sense of dignity and popped the cherry from her drink into her mouth. "I'm not here to mock you." She retrieved the wad of bills from her clutch again handing it over like it was nothing more than scrap paper. "I pay my help."

Emma rolled her eyes at the money and nudged Ruby out of the way when the leggy brunette offered to take it if Emma wouldn't. She leaned over the counter again pouring two shots and sliding one over to Regina. "So you're paying a debt?"

"Precisely." The brunette leaned forward, matching Emma's stance and closing the distance as if a bar wasn't in between them.

Their gazes held, both refusing to be the first to break when Emma smirked. "Bullshit."

"What?"

"I think you're here looking for a good time, and what better place to do it than at some lowly bar where no one here knows your name," Emma answered leaning back with her arms folded.

"You think this is my idea of fun?" Regina motioned around her. "A tightly packed bar that's a step above a brothel and a poorly made martini?"

"That is the best martini you've ever had," Emma pointed at the brunette defensively. She took a step closer and downed her shot. "Yes. I think you're looking to let loose."

With no preamble, Emma turned and sat on the counter, swinging her legs up and stood. As if on cue, music blared for the blonde as she sauntered around the bar, pulling up the bartenders one by one as all the girls took the stage and performed a choreographed sexy cowgirl dance. The blonde grinned as she stole a man's cowboy hat and placed it on her head and winked when she caught Regina's eye.

She may not have had much, and she was damn sure aware of her status when it came to Regina, but hell did she find sport in toying with the woman.

* * *

By the time Emma had announced last call and the last drifters had filtered out, she cleaned up the bar, and had only enough energy to don her red leather jacket instead of changing all together. She leaned against the brick wall letting her muscles relax in anticipation for the day off she had the following evening and the lucky haul she sprung tonight. She already had a good chunk of her rent money and she'd have enough to surprise Henry with a trip to Chuck-E-Cheese.

She pushed off the wall, glad that she was able to close just after half past 2 and moved to make her way to her car when she almost bumped into the one and only Regina Mills.

"You're still here?" Emma asked skeptically. "Are you stalking me or something?"

"Why would I want to stalk you?" The brunette asked with disdain. She motioned her head to the side where the friend she had come in with was leaning against the brick wall batting her eyelashes at the hunk she had been talking to all night. "My friend seems to be indisposed at the moment."

"And you stayed with her," Emma nodded impressed. "That's friendship."

"I couldn't leave her out here alone, could I?"

Emma shrugged. "We're not all thieves and murderers, you know? Frederick's one of the good ones. He runs the gym at the community youth center."

Regina glanced over to where Emma was staring. "Kathryn seems smitten."

"Maybe you should cock block. Wouldn't want labourers mixing with family money."

The brunette whipped her head back to Emma prepared to argue with her but the ringing of the blonde's cell phone interrupted her before she got the chance.

Emma looked at the screen worriedly before flipping it open. "Hey Ash, is everything okay?" She waited a moment and spoke again. "Yeah, put him on."

Regina raised a curious eyebrow at Emma who responded by taking a step away from Regina. The brunette looked back to Kathryn and Frederick who were still very much deep in conversation and felt foolish standing alone on the sidewalk. She sighed aggravated, unwillingly picking up Emma's side of the conversation.

"Hey buddy, you had a nightmare?" Regina's ears perked at that. She never heard the blonde's voice soften like that and she never imagined Emma would have a child at home. Of course, when would she have the opportunity to find out? "I know, but it was just a dream. I'm coming home right now, okay? No, I'm done working. I'll see you in a bit. I love you."

She watched as Emma flipped her phone closed and shoved it into her pocket. The blonde turned back to her with a tired smile, the only genuine smile she had ever shown Regina, and held her hand up in goodbye. "Maybe I'll see you back here."

Without waiting for a response, Emma stepped off the sidewalk to walk across the street, but before she could get very far Regina found herself calling the blonde's name. "Ms. Swan. Wait a minute."

Emma turned her head but kept walking. "I really need to go."

Regina caught up to her, forcing the bartender to face her and pressed the bills she had attempted to give her earlier into the younger woman's palm. "It's not charity."

"I really don't need your money, Regina."

"Forgive me for begging to differ," Regina said with only just a hint of arrogance, which was saying a lot judging by how confident the woman presented herself as. "You changed my tire and you worked hard for this money."

Emma stared intensely at the older woman, wondering what she was getting at but all she saw was genuine sincerity which seemed out of place for a woman like Regina. Finally she nodded minutely, taking only one of the hundred dollar bills and returning the rest to the brunette. "If that's how much you're paying to get a tire fixed, you're getting scammed."

Regina whirled her eyebrows at Emma's response.

"Thanks," Emma mumbled sheepishly motioning to the money. "I hope you had fun for once."

With that, the blonde turned and got into her car, the engine backfiring before she sped off.

Kathryn returned by her side, her phone shining with the addition of a new contact and her face smiling from ear to ear. "Tonight wasn't a complete waste."

Regina stared off at the fading red taillights before the horrendous yellow bug made a turn. "Yes. I suppose it wasn't."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer in Chapter One**

**AN: Thanks again for all the alerts, favourites, and reviews! You guys are outstanding!**

* * *

It was a good day, Emma decided. She had actually gotten a decent amount of sleep before bringing Henry to school. She paid utilities, bought some groceries, and even surprised Henry at lunch with Subway. Now she and her son were kicking a soccer ball around the grass in Central Park. She couldn't afford to put him into any organized sports, she was damn lucky that the programs at the center were free, but she made it a point to get the kid outside whenever she could, even if he was a little uncoordinated.

It was a gorgeous day in the park. The sun was shining, the sky a ridiculous bright blue that Emma usually slept through, and the park wasn't particularly crowded save for a small bridal entourage that insisted on having their pictures taken outdoors. Emma had carefully avoided that scene knowing that Henry would get ideas and start scheming up ways to set her up with one of his teachers.

"-and Ms. Blanchard wanted me to read my story in front of the entire class," Henry said paying more attention to his words than the ball flying past him. "And I did, and Paige really liked it."

"Paige, huh?" Emma smirked. "Is that the girl who sent you a candy gram at Christmas?"

The boy's ears turned bright red before he scurried off after the soccer ball leaving behind a laughing Emma. He picked it up, running back to his mother before drop kicking the ball, misjudging his aim, strength, and direction and sending the ball flying towards the bridal party.

"Kid," Emma groaned watching it soar through the air.

"I'll get it!" Henry yelled already taking off towards the ball.

"Kid!" Emma called after him then sighed when her son didn't even look back. He was as stubborn as he was determined, so Emma jogged back to the picnic table they had snagged and quickly grabbed his bag before walking after her son.

* * *

Henry was a bright child, if just a little narrow-sighted. When he focused on something, that was all he tended to see which made making projects with him a hassle since it had to be exactly as he envisioned. This tunnel vision was the reason that Henry didn't even comprehend the group of people dressed in tuxes and similar dresses surrounding a bride and groom. Instead his eyes had zeroed in on the soccer ball that landed behind them, and with his target in sight, he ran towards the ball.

The bright flash of light got his attention, however, and the boy stopped his mission to look up, his hazel eyes widened as he looked up to the source of the flash and the bridal party behind him.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," Henry apologized profusely to the brunette behind the camera and the still giddy blushing bride.

The photographer looked up from behind her camera, a raised curious eyebrow but an otherwise friendly face. "It's quite all right, dear." She motioned to the screen on her SLR showing a clear profile of Henry with the bridal party colours of pastel blues, blacks, and white blurred in the background. "You're quite photogenic."

Henry smiled shyly apologizing again before running behind the group and retrieving his ball. "I'm sorry again."

The bridal party had already preoccupied themselves with chatter, but the brunette laughed softly. "No need for apologies. Are you lost?"

Henry shook his head. "My mom's around here."

"Are you sure?" The brunette kept an arm around his shoulder looking around.

"Henry!"

Henry turned then grinned, pointing over to the blonde who was jogging up to them. "There she is!"

* * *

Emma had picked up the pace when she saw Henry walk into the shot, but she began to jog when she noticed he was talking to someone for far too long. Like hell she'd let her son be kidnapped right in front of her nose. She watched those cop shows when she could. She knew how those kidnappers worked.

"Henry!" She called out, glad when both her son and the woman turned, but as soon as she saw who it was her step faltered.

No way. That wasn't Regina freaking Mills. God, didn't she ever get a break? She did a double take just to make sure and found herself lingering on the short skirt and pinstripe blazer the older woman was wearing. Even in the day time the woman seemed to look seductive and own the room she walked in, which was quite the feat seeing as they were in the middle of a large park. Mentally preparing herself for a verbal sparring, Emma ran up the final few yards to her son and the other woman. She was pleased when the older woman looked completely shell shocked by her appearance.

"Regina," Emma said draping her arms around Henry's shoulders. "Sorry if he ruined the shot. Kid doesn't know his own strength."

Regina continued to stare at her before directing her attention to the bridal party, agreeing to meet them back at the reception. She turned her gaze back to the blonde woman and her son. "I didn't expect to see you here, Ms. Swan."

Henry looked up between either woman. "You two know each other?"

"We've met," Emma said.

"More like acquaintances," the brunette reassured him. She walked purposefully to a local bench where her equipment sat and began putting them away.

"Are you a photographer?" Henry asked escaping his mother's grasp and running up to the brunette woman, watching curiously as she dissembled the flash piece.

"I am," the woman answered.

"I'm Henry," the boy grinned happily.

Brown eyes twinkled with mirth before she bent down to Henry's eye level. "I'm Regina. It's a pleasure to meet such a little gentleman."

The boy blushed then turned his attention back to the camera.

"Henry," Emma called, still left standing in the middle of the field where Regina and Henry had left her. "Come on. Chuck-E-Cheese?"

"I believe your mother's calling you."

"Can you show me real quick?" He motioned towards her camera with his best puppy dog eyes.

Regina chuckled quietly, shaking her head as she quickly put the lens back on. She snapped a picture of Henry then turned the lens and snapped another one before sitting beside the boy. She showed the display to him. "See this one you are the focus." Flipping to the next picture she spoke again. "Here, it's your mother."

"That's so cool!" Henry beamed then waved for Emma to come. "Mom, you have to come see this!"

Emma looked conflicted then reluctantly walked over sitting on Henry's other side. She avoided Regina's smirk before looking down at the pictures, thoroughly impressed with the brunette's skill. "I didn't know you were a photographer."

"You don't know me very well, Ms. Swan."

"You don't work at the bar, do you?" Henry asked Regina suddenly.

Emma stifled her laughter at the brunette's shocked expression, no doubt attempting to hide her scoff. "No, I take pictures, remember?"

Henry shrugged. "My mom used to work two jobs, but I didn't get to see her a lot, so she quit one."

"Okay, Henry," Emma put her hand over the boy's mouth. "That's enough sharing for today."

Henry smirked up at his mom before standing up, playing keep-ups with the ball for one kick until it sprang away from him, forcing him to chase after it again.

"Sorry," Emma muttered to Regina, nodding her head in Henry's direction. "He likes to talk."

"Just like his mother?" Regina asked.

"You've never had the privilege of having a real conversation with me."

"I learned enough from what I did hear," Regina replied smartly, dissembling the camera again.

Emma moved the back of the bench to keep Henry in her sights while also facing the brunette. "What do you know about me?"

Regina looked up, her tone confident but the malice it once held was gone. "You're a single mother, struggling to get by for your son."

"That's not hard to pick up when you meet the kid," Emma shrugged.

"You're confident at your work, but when you're with him you worry you don't provide enough for him," the brunette answered simply.

Emma's lips thinned, her usual smirk gone.

"You hate that I know that about you," Regina grinned as she put the pieces of her camera into its bag.

"You picked up all of that from two nights of hanging out at the bar?" Emma asked.

"No," Regina caught her eye. "But you just confirmed it for me right now."

Emma rolled her eyes, shaking her head at the woman before her. She glanced back at Henry to see that he was returning to them, the ball under his arm, and then moved her gaze to Regina. "I learned something new about you too."

"What's that? I'm not a robot?"

"The jury is still out on that one," Emma replied smartly. "You're actually a very good photographer."

The brunette looked taken aback, her gaze drifted down ever so briefly before she looked back up at Emma again.

"Thank you," Regina responded with a hint of pride, nothing like the cocky arrogance the blonde had witnessed for the past two nights.

She turned, draping a camera bag over her shoulder and carrying two fairly large briefcases.

"You need help there?" Emma asked.

"I'm fine."

Henry was already tugging a briefcase out of her hands when he returned, struggling to lift it with two of his while keeping the ball balanced. "Don't photographers have assistants?"

"I prefer to work alone," Regina answered, attempting to retrieve her case but pale nimble fingers beat her to it.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Emma asked with a chuckle. "Where's your car?"

"It's really not necessary," the brunette said, but Henry was already tugging on her sleeve.

"So what else do you take pictures of?"

"You're quite curious, aren't you?" Regina laughed.

"My mom calls it annoying," Henry joked.

"Hey!" Emma ruffled her son's hair.

Regina laughed despite herself and led the way to her car.

* * *

They began their walk away from the center of the park, through brushes of trees and families picnicking, past runners and dog-walkers as Regina answered any and all of Henry's questions with professionalism yet warmth that was surprising even to her. She'd never had much interaction with children, and Henry seemed like a child who saw everything as fascinating.

"Wow!" Henry gasped. "So you have a dark room and everything? And you go places just to take pictures?"

"I take pictures of everything really," the brunette said to the boy.

"That sounds like the life," Emma commented with a tight smile.

Regina motioned to the Benz parked along the street and clicked the button of her keys to unlock the trunk.

"I gotta say," Emma admitted, placing the briefcase into the trunk. "I didn't peg you as a wedding photographer when I met you."

"What did you peg me for?" Regina asked with a raised eyebrow.

Emma shrugged. "Your daddy a CEO of some company?"

"Close," Regina admitted. "I don't usually do weddings."

"Not your style?"

"Mom doesn't like weddings," Henry piped up. "She said they're a waste of money and depressing."

Regina cocked a questioning eyebrow to the blonde who glared at her son. "Believe it or not, Ms. Swan, I pay taxes just like everyone else.

"It's hard to believe you took another job to pay the bills," the blonde snorted.

"It's hard to believe you own something aside from cut off shorts and ripped t-shirts," Regina responded smartly earning a sideways glare from the blonde.

"I clean up when I have to," Emma motioned to herself, missing the way Regina's eyes roved over Emma's skintight jeans and fitted long sleeve

Regina kept a careful mask of indifference as Henry helped maneuver the briefcases and camera bag perfectly into her trunk. "It's a favour for a friend. I'm leaving the reception early since I have my opening gallery tonight at Sisco's."

"I've passed by there. Elite crowd."

Regina tilted her head as if it were a given.

They lingered by the open driver's side door of Regina's Mercedes, Emma shifting from foot to foot and Regina looking everywhere but.

"Thank you," Regina said finally breaking the silence. "For helping me carry my equipment."

"No problem," Henry beamed leaning into Emma.

Emma grinned down at him. "We better get going if you want your Chuck-E-Cheese."

The boy pumped a fist in the air. "Bye, Regina. Thanks for telling me about cameras."

The brunette smiled warmly at him before stepping into her car and driving out into traffic.

* * *

"Wait, you bumped into her?" Ruby asked from the kitchen, tossing a ball over Emma's head as she threw it to Henry.

"Yeah! Regina," Henry answered from the lounge chair in the living room catching it. "She's really cool and funny and pretty."

Emma silently shook her head at her friend trying to block Henry's attempt at throwing the ball to Ruby.

"She's a photographer," Henry continued rambling. "Mom, can I get a camera?"

Emma turned her head to face her son. "Like Regina's? No way."

"No, just a regular one," the boy reasoned. "When are we gonna see her again? I want to see more of her pictures."

Ruby laughed chucking the ball back to Henry. "Kid has a crush."

The blonde snorted.

"She's an upper class princess who will be dining on wine and cheese tonight at her bourgeoisie art gallery that her father probably funded," Emma said into her can of beer.

"I think she's nice," Henry shrugged.

"Bed time," Emma said pointedly to her son.

"But Mo-om," Henry whined.

"He-enry," his mother mocked. "Come on, you got school tomorrow."

He sighed catching the ball before running back to the table to hug his mother and Ruby. "Night, Mom. Rubes."

"Night, handsome," the older brunette winked as Henry disappeared into his room with Emma following close behind to tuck him in and read a story.

Fifteen minutes later, Emma returned and headed straight for the couch where Ruby was already settled into, tossing the ball into the air and catching it. "God we needed this night off, huh?"

Emma leaned her head back nodding in agreement.

As soon as Ruby saw her friend relax by closing her eyes, she leaned forward. "So what's up with you and Regina?"

Emma peeked an eye open. "Nothing?"

"Come on, I saw you and her bickering for like ten minutes."

"Yeah, that's all we were doing," the blonde responded defensively.

"Mmhmm." Ruby leaned back. "You have to admit she's pretty hot though."

"She's gorgeous." Emma didn't hesitate to agree earning a guffaw from her friend.

"She's got a gallery tonight?" The brunette asked tossing the nerf ball to Emma.

The blonde caught it. "Yeah. At Sisco's."

"Fancy." Ruby grinned catching the ball and held it up to her chin in thought. "You should go."

Emma choked on her spit. "What? No."

"At least just to mess with her."

Emma laughed catching the ball tossing it from palm to palm. "She would be pissed, wouldn't she?"

"And I know you had fun ruffling her feathers," Ruby grinned.

The blonde just whipped the ball at her friend's head.

The brunette laughed catching it with one hand before tossing it back and speaking softly. "Go. I'll watch Henry."

Emma mulled over the proposition wondering why on earth she even considered it. She had already tucked her son in, treated him to dinner, and spent a normal night out with her friend. She should be eager to get to sleep. But seeing Regina earlier in the day looking so normal and happy intrigued her. She had to admit, the brunette took some really nice pictures, and it'd be interesting to see her work up close and personal.

"I don't know," Emma drawled uncertainly.

The younger woman grinned wolfishly. "Do it."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer in Chapter One and I also do not own any of the songs mentioned in this chapter.**

**AN: Super stoked from the response received from the last chapter! Many of you guys were totally on board with Ruby, and so was I. Many thanks for all the reviews, favourites, and subscriptions. Keep on rocking! **

* * *

What was Emma doing there? This was the last time she'd give in to Ruby's peer pressure. The last time she had done that she had gotten herself a date with the sleaziest guy she had ever met. This was starting to be a frequent occurrence, Emma thought to herself. She glanced at the time to see it was almost nearing ten. How late did these things go anywhere?

Weaving her way through the crowded streets, the street lamps illuminating the sidewalk quite differently than they did where she lived, Emma found the only open shop on the street, bright lights, people still sparsely mingling inside.

Sisco's.

It was a space for artists of any kind, be it modelling, photography, or art, to use as their gallery. For a generous price of course.

Emma had joked with August one day that she'd buy out that place and turn it into a classy bar. The man shook his head, laughing at that. At the time Emma had been offended, but staring up at the brass sign looking worth more than what she had in the bank, she gulped.

Parking her bug, she stepped out. The old door creaked and strained against the rust, but she shoved her hip against it to slam it shut. She zipped up her leather jacket, wondering for the first time that maybe this was an invite only event. She scoffed to herself. If it was, she could probably find a way to sneak in. Though why she wanted to was the mystery.

Despite dancing every night on a bar counter looking like a Daisy Duke impersonator, Emma felt nerves creep up her spine as she approached the gallery. Through the glass windows, she could see people dressed in suits and fine dresses, waiters walking around with trays of champagne flutes and hors d'oeuvres.

Five minutes, Emma promised herself. She'd go in, say hi to Regina, see what the big deal was with their fancy champagne, and get out of there. She'd tell Ruby what she wanted to hear, but like hell Emma was going to actually mingle with these people.

She walked through the open doorway easily enough. The group of people chatting by the door paused their conversation just to gawk at her, but Emma simply grinned, waved and kept walking in.

Maybe she should have changed.

Once inside, her red leather jacket, skinnies and boots stuck out like a sore thumb in the midst of all the dressed up people. It wasn't even a crowded room, most already on their way out the door, yet Emma couldn't help but feel as if every eye in the room had turned to look at her.

She held her chin up and steeled her jaw, grabbed a flute from a passing waiter, and stuffed her free hand into her pocket as she walked casually along the walls and partitions to examine the photographs.

Emma never really thought much about pictures. They were nice to look at, but it didn't seem that hard to do. Looking at these ones, though, "New York Perspectives" as the theme was called, Emma began to see how the other side lived.

Sipping daintily on her champagne, which was actually quite good, she examined the photos, looking at the sepias of old churches with a couple in its archway, the stone decor of museums, the reflection of the city in the water, and the view from a penthouse. That would be the closest Emma would ever get to places like that, this gallery excluded.

She gulped the rest of her champagne but jumped when a tall frizzy haired blonde came to stand beside her, her dress tight and coloured in deep black and purples. "Marvelous, aren't they?"

She coughed as the alcohol slipped down the wrong tube before straightening up to glance at the woman. "Yeah. They're amazing."

Emma felt under scrutiny as the taller woman raked her eyes over Emma's body from head to toe, taking in Emma's unruly blonde hair to her knee-high boots.

She grinned and leaned in, extending her hand. "I don't believe we've met before. Maleficent."

The younger blonde took it briefly. "Emma."

"Which is your favourite?" Maleficent extended an arm out indicating the rest of the collection.

"This one," Emma said hastily pointing to a photograph taken on a bridge over a highway. The colours of the cars blended together in a fury of light except for the silhouette of a couple embracing on the bridge.

"I find it quite generic. Once you've seen one you've seen them all, don't you agree?"

Emma moved her head up and around, not quite a nod but not exactly shaking her head.

"This one, however, is just exquisite." Maleficent tugged Emma over to a picture of a thicket of trees, light shining through the space of the leaves. "Look how well she managed to capture the light so that you can see the rays as it beams down on you."

"Yeah," Emma nodded along. "It's a good technique."

The older woman chuckled to herself as she took Emma's empty champagne glass and exchanged it for two new ones, handing a flute to the blonde. "I doubt I'm wrong, but I suspect you have no idea what I'm talking about."

Emma's eyes widened ever so slightly as she shimmied from foot to foot. She looked around the room, significantly emptier since the ten minutes she had arrived. "It's getting late," she said giving the glass back to Maleficent. "I should get going."

Before she could turn to leave, Emma felt a hand on her arm to see the taller blonde grip her, a leering and mischievous grin on her face. "Are you here for somebody?"

"Ms. Swan?"

Emma turned at the sound of her name to see Regina, out of the skirt and blazer she had been wearing earlier in the day and dressed in a sleek, black knee length dress. Stepping away from Maleficent, Emma had never been more happier to see the brunette. "Hi."

"What on earth are you doing here?" Regina hissed.

"Now dear," Maleficent mused into her glass. "I think she's here for you."

Emma felt her skin heat up, uncomfortable with the questioning of her presence, uncomfortable feeling the many eyes still on her, and uncomfortable with the embarrassed blush gracing the brunette's cheeks.

This plan backfired big time.

She seriously regretted handing back that drink, so instead, she put up her hands in defeat. "I should go."

She didn't let either woman stop her, and neither woman tried, as she glided through the crowd and made a break for the exit.

Maleficent turned expectantly towards Regina, her eyebrow cocked and her lips pursed in a playful pout. "Who was that?"

"What did you say to her?" The brunette questioned. The threat in her voice made Regina falter and the blonde giggle deliciously.

"Are those feelings, Regina?" Maleficent gasped dramatically. "I imagine you'd be thrilled I scared her away."

Regina rolled her eyes before sauntering off to bid more guests goodbye.

* * *

Emma sat in the driver's seat of her bug, still parked outside Sisco's with her legs planted firmly on the road as she fidgeted with her hands. Since her abrupt departure half an hour ago, Emma had been contemplating going back in just to prove to Maleficent and everyone else that she deserved to be there just as much as anyone else.

She couldn't get the look of shock and embarrassment on Regina's face out of her head though.

She didn't know why, but she felt the sudden urge to apologize to the brunette for interrupting her show. Regina clearly didn't want her there; she would have invited her otherwise. Besides, they didn't even know each other. She basically just crashed a stranger's photo viewing.

Good one, Emma.

She glanced up when the last of the laughter and chattering died down as the final few guests made their way to their cars. She watched as Regina hugged and kissed the cheeks of many of them before turning to lock up the studio. On a whim, Emma stood, kicking back at her car door to shut it, the creak echoing noisily in the quiet night.

Regina turned sharply at the sound of the car door and already had a can of pepper spray out and her finger on the nozzle.

Emma smirked seeing the can. "I'm not armed."

Regina sighed relieved before replacing the can back into her purse. "I thought you left."

"Pepper spray?" Emma said with the hint of a laugh.

"It's New York," Regina replied obviously. "And still not an answer to my question."

"Well you technically didn't ask one," the blonde pointed out, grinning internally at Regina's huff. "I wanted to apologize."

Regina raised a curious eyebrow.

"It wasn't my plan to embarrass you in front of your friend," Emma explained.

The older woman chuckled. "Maleficent is just barely my friend."

"Yeah, she seemed like a bitch," Emma laughed.

"So what was your plan?"

The blonde shoved her hands into her jean back pockets, shuffling from side to side. "Honestly? To piss you off."

"At least you're truthful to an extent," the brunette smirked. "Here I thought you came to appreciate some fine photography."

"You're a humble one, aren't you?"

Regina rolled her shoulder casually before stepping down from the overhanging archway to level herself with Emma still standing on the sidewalk in the orange incandescent glow of the street lamp.

"So let me get this straight," Regina began holding up a finger indicating she was not to be interrupted. "You left your son alone to travel halfway across town to an art gallery simply to aggravate me?"

Emma sighed holding out her hands at her waist to make her point. "He is tucked in and in bed with Ruby watching him."

"And you didn't travel halfway across town to aggravate me?" The brunette quipped.

"Maybe I just want to look at some fine art," Emma retorted, her eyes roaming up and down Regina's body appreciating the contrast between lightly tanned skin and the smooth black dress.

Her eyes drifted back up when the brunette cleared her throat and turned back towards the door.

"Right this way," she spoke quietly as she unlocked the gallery.

More than a little surprised, Emma followed Regina into the studio, the brunette not bothering with the lights finding the sporadic flood lights in the ceiling to be sufficient.

Standing in the room with just herself and Regina and no gawking judgmental people, Emma felt significantly more at ease, her shoulders relaxing as she followed Regina along the partitions. "How did the night go?"

"As well as I could hope," the brunette replied taking a deep breath as she examined her photographs.

"It looks like you're a big shot." Emma came to stand beside her, both staring at the photo that Emma had claimed was her favourite.

"Perhaps," the brunette replied with a wry smile.

Emma glanced at the woman beside her, grinning to herself when she caught brown eyes shine with pride as she stared at her photographs. The blonde's grin widened, and she shook her head attempting to wipe it off her face.

"Problem?"

The blonde shook her head. "You really love what you do, don't you?"

Regina sighed turning her back to Emma. "My mother wanted me to learn how to run the hotels and to network with other businessmen to support our companies. She wasn't pleased when I went to an arts school."

"Wow, you defied your mother. Who would have thought?" Emma smirked.

"I assume with your vivacious career path you love what you do as well?" The brunette asked turning back to Emma.

The blonde shrugged. "It pays the bills."

"You look like you enjoy it," Regina questioned.

"It's not a bad gig, but the hours suck," the younger woman admitted. "I really want to own my own bar someday."

Emma wandered off, leaving Regina to watch after her and taking the time to truly appreciate the other woman's photographs. Scenes of sepia-toned cobble stone streets, black and white pictures of historical manors reflected in the glass of high rises, and unfiltered shots of New York's views.

"You don't do people," Emma commented making her way around the pictures and back to the brunette.

"Pardon?"

"Not 'do' like that," the blonde clarified. "I mean there are no people in your pictures. If they are you can't see them."

Regina furrowed her brow, glancing across the room then raising her eyebrows in surprise. "I didn't realize."

"You should have more life in your pictures."

"Are you giving me photography advice?" The brunette scoffed lightly.

"School taught you good," Emma said changing the subject, bringing herself up to sit on the bar where the champagne was stored.

"Not all of us could simply walk into a bar and claim a job, Ms. Swan," Regina answered her face scowling slightly at Emma's choice of seat.

"I took a course in mixology," the blonde answered proudly. "And you can call me Emma, you know."

"I don't know you that well."

The blonde slid down from her spot and walked up to Regina, the brunette refusing to back down and upped the ante, stepping into Emma's personal space so close they were almost touching.

The glow of the dim flood lights cast a peaceful halo over Regina's face, her olive toned skin illuminated in the darkness around them, her hazel eyes shining with challenge. They were so close Emma could feel the older woman's chest rise and fall as she breathed, could see how that perfectly manicured eyebrow rose daring Emma to back down.

Emma was stubborn, evidence by the fact that she had toyed with the brunette for two days, but there was something in those fiery brown eyes that made her want to accept this unspoken challenge between them. The blonde cocked her head to the side before whispering. "Find out."

"What?" Regina looked taken aback.

Emma stepped away and headed towards the door walking backwards as she stretched out her arms to the side daring Regina to follow. "Get to know me."

"Why would I want to do that?"

The blonde curled her lips into a half smirk. "You look like you need a little life back in your life."

* * *

Regina was loathed to find herself trailing after the blonde. After locking up the gallery, Emma was already halfway down the sidewalk forcing Regina to speed up in her heels. She could have just gone home, but she was Regina Mills, after all. She never lost a challenge and certainly not one to Emma Swan.

"Where are we going?" Regina asked for the second time as they rounded another street.

"Do you trust me?"

"No."

"That's not how that's supposed to go," Emma said to herself before stopping abruptly in front of a hole-in-the-wall bar. She motioned to it with her hands and offered a shy grin.

"Why am I not surprised that we're at a bar?" The brunette began to rethink going after Emma.

"It's different, will you just get inside please?"

"Aren't you sick of these?"

Emma gave Regina a little shove into the establishment, rolling her eyes and muttering to herself before following.

Before Regina could turn to yell at Emma for manhandling her, the smell of alcohol flooded her senses and the sound of off-key singing rang in her ears.

_She was in a karaoke bar._

She turned abruptly as Emma grinned at the atmosphere already taking off her coat. "No."

The blonde halted her movements before laughing. "Seriously? You've been in here all of two seconds."

"I don't frequent these types of establishments, Ms. Swan."

"Well you could have fooled me by showing up at my bar two nights in a row." Emma tugged on the older woman's elbow leading her to a table near the front.

"My car-"

"Yes, yes your car broke down." She motioned over for a waitress. "Have a drink, sing a little, and then I will take you back to your safe little gallery."

"I will not sing in public!" Regina yelled, her voice impressive against the speakers.

Emma ignored her and spoke to the waitress. "Sour Amaretto and an Apple Martini."

Regina seethed. "I'm not singing."

"Tell me that once you get a couple drinks in your system."

Regina sat petulantly on the stool doing her best not let any part of her clothing or body touch anything. In the back of her mind, she briefly thought that Emma's bar was significantly cleaner than this place even though it wasn't too far from where she worked. She looked around, a permanent frown on her face as drunken voices belted out the lyrics to 'Don't Stop Believing'. Although no one paid attention to her, which was strange in its own right, Regina couldn't help but feel as if she was too dressed up for the occasion. She fiddled with her rings before thanking the waitress as she stopped by to place their drinks.

She drank much too eagerly.

"Feel better?" Emma asked, smirking into her glass as Regina toyed with the cherry, pressing it lightly against her lips.

"No." The cherry disappeared between red lips before a martini glass was lifted to them, a healthy amount ingested.

"Okay," Emma said sipping her own drink. "What's your idea of fun?"

"Not this."

"You've been before?"

"No."

"Then how do you know it's not fun?" Emma questioned.

"I don't need to experience it to know it's not for me," the brunette answered exasperated as if she were talking to a slow child.

"That's exactly what you have to do." Emma got up from her seat and stole the songbook from a nearby table. "I'm gonna pick a song for you."

"Why don't you sing?" Regina questioned, leaning forward and turning the tables back on Emma.

The blonde smirked meeting the older woman halfway. "I will if you will."

Regina's eyes narrowed. Green eyes shined with mirth as they bore into deep brown ones. If this is the game Emma wanted to play then so be it. She leaned back and downed the rest of her martini already motioning for another.

* * *

The crowd was clapping in time and singing along as Emma swayed her hips moving from one end of the stage to the other as the final chords of her song ended.

"_I love rock and roll so put another dime in the jukebox baby._"

The crowd sung along cheering on the blonde bombshell as she turned her back to audience then turned her head, winking at Regina.

"_I love rock and roll so come and take your time and dance with me._"

They cheered wildly, and even Regina couldn't stop the pleased grin from appearing on her face, shaking her head as Emma hopped off the stage high fiving people on her way back to their table.

"So?" Emma asked sipping her coke. She had stopped drinking long ago realizing she needed to drive home.

"You were adequate," the brunette inclined her head towards her. "Though I wouldn't quit your day job."

Emma laughed. "Well I wouldn't be so cocky there, Ms. Mills."

As if on cue the MC took the stage calling up their next performer. The one and only Regina Mills.

Regina's face flushed suddenly. She wasn't drunk enough to do this. She glared at Emma who simply held her soda up to her lips, cocking her eyebrows towards the stage. "You can back out if you want."

Though the exit was there the tone the blonde had used infuriated Regina. With another glare she dropped her purse and coat onto the table, striding up to the stage as if she had every business being up there. As soon as she stood in the spotlight, panic caught up with her though her careful mask of indifference refused to show as much.

With the light shining in her eyes she could barely make out the faces in the crowd, but one lone face, that of raised surprised eyebrows, parted curious lips, and surprisingly pretty golden locks stood out.

"Sing pretty lady!" A man wolf whistled from the back causing Regina's panic and irritation to grow.

She was better than this, she decided. She was about to escape off stage when the choir-like intro of Queen's "Somebody to Love" began, and Regina found herself caught on stage as the lyrics on the screen flashed before her.

She held the mic and its stand firmly as she sang the words softly. "_Each morning I get up I die a little, can barely stand on my feet..._"

A woman in the back whooped her encouragement as Regina sang.

The brunette chuckled breathily. "_...I've spent all my years in believing you. I just can't get no relief, Lord._"

People clapped as Regina's voice increased in volume and confidence.

"_Can anybody find me somebody to love?_" Regina sang with a grin, shrugging her shoulder casually glancing at Emma who threw her a thumbs up.

She continued singing, gaining enough confidence from the hollering crowd to remove the mic from its stand and sway from side to side on the stage. Soon the entire room had joined in singing, belting at the top of their lungs.

During the guitar solo Regina looked shocked that she had managed to sing, holding the mic in one hand and the stand away from her as she caught Emma's eye, both women grinning and laughing as the lyrics appeared back on screen.

Regina and the crowd had started a chant with the song - _find me somebody to love, find me somebody to love_ - until they quieted for the brunette to finish off the last line. "_Can anybody find me somebody to love_?"

She replaced the mic, swaying with the stand as the music kept playing, the final piano beat dying down all the while keeping her eyes locked on the blonde sitting at her table with her hands cupped around her mouth and yelling out her joy.

* * *

"Holy crap that was amazing!" Emma laughed into the night as both blonde and brunette left the bar. "I didn't know you could sing."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Ms. Swan," Regina replied, but the slight upturn of her lips indicated she was thoroughly pleased with the blonde's reaction.

"Emma," the younger woman corrected.

"Emma," Regina amended.

They began the short walk back to the gallery, the high of the evening still buzzing around them.

"So," Emma said nudging the other woman. "Did you have fun?"

Regina smirked. "I made the best of a bad situation."

"That's a long way to say yes." The blonde replied smartly.

Regina laughed once shaking her head as they turned the corner back onto the gallery's street. "How did you know there was a karaoke bar so close?"

"I applied there once," Emma answered with a shrug. "The owner's a little handsy."

"Coming from the woman who dances on counter tops?"

"Coming from the woman who can handle herself with drunk customers and doesn't want that kind of attention from her boss," Emma defended.

The brunette eyed her, surprised at the response. "Fair enough."

By the time they were back at the gallery and at Regina's Benz, it was already just past midnight.

"So," Emma said, her thumbs hooked into her back pockets. "Tonight was fun."

"I suppose," Regina drawled, her car door already open.

Emma laughed. "I could see your smile."

The brunette rolled her eyes before stepping into her vehicle. "Good night, Ms. Swan."

"Emma," the younger woman reminded.

Regina grinned. "Emma."

With that she shut the door and sped off into the night leaving the blonde to stand in the same spot mentally replaying her name slipping past sultry red lips.

* * *

**Shamelessly inspired by Ella Enchanted and Crossroads, but coincidentally enough those were the first two songs that came up in my Sing Along Songza playlist. Songs mentioned in the chapter were Journey's Don't Stop Believing, Joan Jett's I Love Rock and Roll, and Queen's Somebody to Love - all classic karaoke night songs.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer in Chapter One**

**AN: I'm sorry for the long wait. I've had overlapping illnesses, so everything sucked. We see the ladies in a different setting here which some of you have guessed. I hope you enjoy the chapter, and thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favourites!**

* * *

Regina stayed off to the side, loathed to be dragged back to this end of the city by Kathryn who had become infatuated with the man she met at the bar. The youth center she found herself in didn't look like much of a place for children on the outside with its concrete walls and steel infrastructure, but inside it did its very best to make it more homely for the kids gracing its hallways.

On the walls that weren't covered by peeling wallpaper were hand painted pictures of stick figures around a blue and green circle of the earth, a wall dedicated to painted hands, and a wall filled with signed names. It was the hand drawn pictures on the walls that was any evidence that this was meant to be a happy children's place instead of a penitentiary.

Regina walked back towards Kathryn, smiling up at Frederick who had a mesh bag of various balls slung over his shoulder. He looked up when Regina came to stand beside the blonde and offered her a friendly smile.

"It was really nice of you two to come down here," he said mainly to Kathryn. "I'd offer you a tour, but there's not much to see other than this."

He gestured to the hallways, the few classrooms that held smaller extracurricular activities, the viewing area over the gym, and the gymnasium itself.

He grinned shyly down at Kathryn. "Maybe I'll see you after I'm done with the kids?"

The blonde smiled placing a hand lightly on his shoulder. "I'll be here."

Regina smirked at the obviousness of her friend as she watched Frederick exit through a door and descend down a metal staircase to what she assumed was the gym.

"You're quite smitten," the brunette noticed. "Here I thought he was nothing more than some man you met at a bar."

"He's actually very sweet," Kathryn defended, her eyes flashing defiantly.

"What will your father think?"

Kathryn turned suddenly towards her, her hand on the door Frederick had exited through. "He'd be happy for me."

Regina furrowed her brow as Kathryn opened the door and let it shut behind her leaving Regina to stare after her dumbfounded. The Mills, her mother specifically, were notoriously known for her wealth and high social standing that associating with anyone beneath her had been disallowed and bred into Regina as soon as she could walk and talk. To have Kathryn, a woman whose wealth rivaled her own, speak so surely about something as whimsical as the heart was something Regina was not used to. Then again the brunette was still suffering at the hands of her mother due to her career choice, and god forbid if Cora found out she had gone to a seedy bar last weekend and a karaoke bar the next night.

Shaking her head, Regina pulled open the door, taken aback that on the other side was a simple catwalk that hung ten feet over the gymnasium floor. There were kids of all ages already there. The older ones had claimed a basketball net for a game of pick up while Frederick had rallied the younger ones, a handful of balls distributed among them as he carefully explained the drill to them.

"Do you know him well?" Regina asked inclining her head downwards towards the man as she leaned against the railing.

"Regina." Kathryn's tone know cared she would not stand there if the brunette was planning on ridiculing Frederick.

"I only ask because you're my friend," the brunette answered honestly.

Kathryn offered a small smile before casting a sideways glance down below. "I saw him on Wednesday. He's quite the gentleman. He didn't even know who my father was."

Regina placed a tentative hand on Kathryn's arm, her way of showing support for the blonde. She had been on the receiving end of one too many late night calls when the blonde had gotten her heart broken by a man only eager to dig their paws into her family fortune.

"If only all of us could be so lucky."

Kathryn laughed. "And what about you? I hear from Maleficent that you had a visitor at your gallery last week."

Regina rolled her eyes. That blonde gossip would be the end to her. "It was Ms. Swan."

"From the bar?" Kathryn asked surprised.

She nodded. "I suppose she thought it would be funny to show up."

"How did she even know about your opening?"

"I might have mentioned it to her at park," Regina mused, aghast to realize she had released that bit of information.

"You saw each other at the park?" Kathryn was struggling to hide the amused smirk from forming on her face. "As in a date?"

"No." Regina's eyes flashed with indignation as as held herself around the middle. "I was working and she happened to be there with her son."

"She has a son?" The blonde asked curiously.

"It surprised me too, dear. Though he's nothing like his mother."

Regina turned so her back was to the railing, her mind dazing from the many encounters she had had with Emma Swan over the course of a few days alone. She vowed to herself she would never admit to seeing Emma after the gallery, and she was damn well to take the fact that she had sung on stage in front of drunken strangers to her grave. Luckily Regina had received a week's worth of reprieve from the unruly blonde, but more often than not she found herself still revelling in the thrill of being in her presence.

"This son," Kathryn began. "Does he have brown hair?"

Regina knitted her eyebrows. "How do you know?"

Kathryn grinned wide and nodded her head down below them to where Henry was running into the gym from an entrance down below, looking awkward and uncoordinated against the other kids as he caught the basketball and dribbled around pylons.

Emma had followed him in after, waving her arms animatedly as she talked to Frederick, apologizing for being late. The teacher just smiled and dismissed her apology, ruffling Henry's hair as he passed the boy before glancing up at Kathryn to give a bashful smile.

Regina gasped when Emma lifted her head up towards the catwalk, and the brunette almost wanted to duck and hide, but her pride made her lift her chin up as if she had every right to be there. Judging by her knee-high boots, pressed skirt, and silk blouse, Regina stood out like a beacon in the ocean.

"Her son is adorable," Kathryn commented.

Regina didn't answer her. She was acutely aware that the blonde had made her way towards the stairs of the catwalk and began climbing up two stairs at a time. When she was finally levelled, Regina did her best to act surprised to see Emma there.

"Regina?"

The brunette turned her head, her eyes widening slightly in alarm. "Oh, Ms. Swan."

"Emma," the younger blonde corrected.

"Right," she said with a nod of her head. "Emma."

"What are you doing here?"

The brunette ignored the question and motioned to Kathryn who was watching Frederick coach. "You remember my friend? Kathryn."

"Yeah," Emma answered extending a hand to blonde. "Cosmopolitan."

"Dancing bartender," Kathryn said back smartly earning a shrug from Emma.

Emma tilted her head at the stifled air between the three of them. Kathryn had returned to appreciating Frederick's skills with children while Regina looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there. She took a step closer and lowered her voice for only the brunette to hear.

"Seriously, are you stalking me?"

Regina's eyes flashed. "I didn't come here for you."

Emma chuckled to herself. "Let me guess. You heard of the free pick up game and decided to try your hand in embarrassing six and up year olds."

Regina glared turning to face forward, her hands outstretched as she gripped the rusting metal bars tightly. "Kathryn mentioned she was meeting a friend down here, and I didn't want her going alone."

"You still think we're all bad news?" Emma scoffed.

"It doesn't hurt to be cautious."

"It hurts to be ignorant."

"I am not ignorant," Regina hissed.

"Please," Emma said crossing her arms around her chest. "You didn't even know you liked karaoke until you sang in front a crowd."

Regina hushed her for fear that Kathryn had heard, but her friend had only turned when her exaggerated "shhh" went on longer than necessary.

Emma smirked taking a step away and pleased when Regina followed suit, effectively creating a distance between themselves and Kathryn. "It's not a crime to have fun."

"There are other ways to have fun that don't involve alcohol."

"I don't doubt that, but your idea of fun is vastly different from mine. Humour me. What does Regina Mills do in her spare time?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I take pictures," the brunette answered pointedly.

"That's your job."

"And your job is bartending while you spend your free time in bars."

Emma opened her mouth to disagree but realized that based on how Regina met her, that assumption was pretty damn accurate.

"That was once," Emma defended. "And that was to get _you_ out."

"And I'm to believe you have better interests?"

"Yes."

"Unlikely."

"You still don't know me."

"I don't plan to."

"Tell that to the Regina who got a crowded bar to sing along to Queen with her," Emma pointed out with a smirk.

"A moment of poor judgement," Regina dismissed with a wave of her hand.

"Fine."

"Fine," Regina huffed turning away from Emma to engage Kathryn in conversation.

Before she could even open her mouth, Emma sauntered over to Kathryn's other side, gaining her friend's attention much more quickly than Regina could. "So how do you like Fred?"

* * *

Despite doing her best to ignore Emma, Regina had to admit the blonde was very good at making people around her feel comfortable. Kathryn was easily swept into conversation about the man she came to see and before long, Emma had descended down the steps to help Frederick and the kids. Whatever she thought about Emma, she couldn't deny that the blonde was doing well by her son.

When Frederick gave the kids a water break, Regina was surprised when Henry had bounded up the stairs in order to greet Regina with an excited "hi!"and a wave. She ignored her friend's curious stare as she bent down, automatically grinning from ear to ear as she praised Henry for his efforts on the court.

The boy had blushed and rolled his shoulder, a trait that was distinctly Emma.

Things took an awkward turn when Henry quite openly asked if Regina was there to see his mom. Kathryn stifled her laughter, nudging the shell-shocked brunette who remained dumbfounded and had yet to answer.

Regina gave a practised smile, shaking her head in the negative, but that she was happy to see Henry play nonetheless.

The moment Frederick blew his whistle to bring the children back to the centre of the gym was a blessed relief for the brunette who still seemed quite rattled by the young boy's question. Kathryn had attempted to question what was truly going on between her and Emma, but a well placed glare had her friend quietening and dropping the subject.

Just before the hour was up, Frederick settled all the kids down in the middle of the gym, squatting down to their eye level as he praised them for their efforts. Their pleased faces soon turned to disappointed frowns. Frederick stood and moved to a bench on the side giving each child a donut as they slowly made their way out of the gym through the various exits.

Regina noticed the teacher's change of demeanour as soon as all the children save for Henry left. The man looked conflicted and upset that even from their height both Kathryn and Regina wondered what had happened in the last hour.

She watched as Emma approached Frederick, the same disappointment on her face as the two adults conversed and made their way up the stairs.

"Is something wrong?" Kathryn asked as soon as they had reached the catwalk.

Frederick held the door open for them allowing all three women and Henry to step into the main hallway. "I guess you picked a good day to drop by. Today was the last day of the open gym for the kids."

"When does the next one start up?" Kathryn asked.

"The center can't afford to have their facilities used for free," the man explained.

"So what are we going to do on Saturdays?" Henry asked staring up at his mother.

She ruffled his hair and gave a tight smile. "I'll take you to the park, kid."

"But what about the other kids?" The boy asked worriedly.

Emma just tightened her lips unable to provide an answer to her son. She looked up to the rest of the group as she wrapped an arm around her son's shoulder. "We'll see you later. Thanks for everything, Fred."

Regina watched as the blonde mother and son walked away, Emma looking down as she talked to her crestfallen son. It struck her then how many children would be out of a place to go on their weekends, the children who had painted their hands on these bleak walls in an attempt to make this space their own only to be kicked out.

"Have you considered a fundraiser?" Regina chimed in suddenly interrupting Kathryn's attempt to comfort the teacher.

He nodded. "We've had a few. We don't make as much as we'd like, but it gets us by."

Regina nodded, taking in the life that was in the walls despite the gloomy and ominous atmosphere its outer walls presented. She glanced around at the other children still milling about in the hallways, relaxed and happy with second hand sports equipment in their possession or rushing to one of the arts and crafts room. She was vaguely aware when Kathryn and Frederick had walked a distance away, the man smiling down at her friend despite it all, but the dejected face of Henry and the other children hit a soft spot within the brunette she was unaware she had.

Every child deserved that chance for their own niche, a place or a hobby they could call their own. Regina knew that more than anyone. The gears in her head shifted as she turned and strode purposely towards Frederick, a plan to save his program already in mind.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer in Chapter One.**

**AN: Thank you all for the well wishes! I'm feeling better, and you guys are awesome for that. I'm really glad you guys are liking the story, so thank you so much!**

* * *

Emma wiped the bar clean for the thousandth time. She hated working the early shifts, and by early, August meant evening before the real night shifts, if only because the place was a bore and there was nothing to do. Unfortunately she had been stuck with them for the last few days in order to get some girls trained. August had offered her incentive, but it was nothing like the tips she would have made otherwise. With only a handful of patrons looking to get away from the realities of their lives for only a few hours before returning to their hobbles of homes, Emma entertained herself with cleaning and taking inventory.

She was looking forward to going home just before Henry's bedtime, but the boy was still upset about the youth center. She couldn't blame him. It was the closest thing he had to an organized activity, and Emma couldn't afford to put him into any real classes. Another reason why she was pissed about taking an early shift. She was planning on making extra tips to put him in a real program, but that plan was getting further and further away.

She sat on the floor behind the bar, browsing through a binder of lists and scanned the shelves to see what needed to be restocked. She growled. Someone was stealing the Grey Goose again.

"Is Emma in?"

Emma whipped her head up at the sound of her name. She reared up onto her knees when she heard a grunt in response before popping up from behind the counter. She smirked when she noticed the person asking for her jumped and looked annoyed.

"Regina?"

"Hello," the brunette said offering her hand.

Emma squinted at it. "Are you lost again?"

Regina looked from the blonde to her unshaken hand. Realizing the attempt was futile she pulled it back, mumbling about rudeness. "I have a proposition for you."

"How did you even know I would be here?"

"I asked your friend last night," Regina dismissed.

"You came here last night?" The blonde asked incredulously with a laugh. "To look for me? Here?"

The older woman ground her teeth as she gave a tight smile. "Did I not just say that? Now are you done pressing the how I came here and ready to know the why?"

Emma motioned with her hand for Regina to continue.

With a huff and a wave of her head, Regina sat on a bar stool across from Emma. "I need Henry."

"Excuse me?" Emma's body reflexively tightened and her voice had taken a low tone.

"I'm working alongside Frederick and Kathryn on a project, and it would be effective if Henry was involved," the brunette answered cordially.

"What exactly are you working on that involves my son?" Emma asked slowly giving a wary eye.

Regina leaned in close, a practiced smile on her lips. "We're hoping to save the youth center."

* * *

Emma adjusted her beetle into the spot she had parallel parked in for the hundredth time, cursing the fact that even after twelve years of driving, doing that stupid move was necessary and still unmastered. She swore quietly under her breath, glaring briefly at her son who openly laughed at her.

She eyed her side view mirror seeing that her bug was askew but shrugged. "Good enough."

Henry laughed as he opened his door. "So what exactly does Regina need my help for?"

"She wanted you to be a model or something," Emma answered coming across the car and nudging him lightly. "Did you practise your catwalk pose?"

He narrowed his eyes, unamused by his mother's antics as he stepped through the door she held open for him.

Emma chuckled, following him into the center. They looked around, finding no fancy lights or backdrops.

"Maybe we're early?" Emma offered, walking towards the gym door as the sound of sneakers squeaking on hardwood echoed.

"I thought we were late," Henry mused to himself, following his mother.

"Maybe Regina's late," Emma snorted to herself.

She pulled the door open, letting Henry follow her onto the catwalk over the gym. The pair enjoyed watching the older boys play, Emma providing her own commentary on the players' skills and moves as Henry rolled his eyes affectionately at his mother.

The boys were playing all right, but the unlikely person standing on the sidelines had Emma double taking.

"I don't think Regina's late," Henry smirked.

Sure enough the brunette had her camera pulled up to her eyes, adjusting the lens and snapping pictures.

Emma tilted her head as she leaned her arms over the railing, watching the brunette move as she walked briskly up and down the sidelines, getting pictures at various angles. Regina was so immersed into her camera that she didn't see the ball headed straight for her.

Emma snapped her head up when she noticed the basketball hit off of someone's elbow headed straight for the woman and nearly yelled out a warning, but Frederick beat her to it, smacking the ball out of harm's way. Emma relaxed and resumed her position, smiling lightly at Regina's frazzled yet grateful appearance. The brunette resumed her picture taking, cautious this time of any wayward equipment and made it a point to look up from behind her lens every so often.

Emma had to admit that Regina looked pretty being immersed in her job. She just had to learn to admit she looked pretty always.

"Mom," Henry said for the third time, tugging on Emma's sleeve to get his mother's attention.

"Hmm?" Emma finally turned towards him.

"I said can I go down now?"

She looked down to the gym and saw the teens were clearing out and gave her son a nod. She followed him down the steps, shoving her hands into her back jean pockets, watching as Henry ran directly to Regina.

"Do you need an assistant?" Henry asked eagerly as the older brunette replaced her memory card.

Regina smiled down at him, her eyes twinkling. "Hello to you too."

"Manners, kid," Emma said as she approached.

"Hi," he amended bashfully.

"You'll be my assistant." Frederick appeared and ruffled the boy's hair.

Emma smirked at her son's slightly disappointed pout but nodded politely, leaving with the older man as he set up for the toddlers coming into the gym with their mothers. She placed a foot on the bench Regina was currently sitting on as the brunette rifled through forms allowing her to photograph the children.

"So your big plan is to take pictures?"

"Yes," Regina answered simply, replacing the forms back into her folder.

"How?"

Regina raised an amused eyebrow. "Perhaps by incorporating more life into my pictures."

She stood from her seat and took a step past Emma as the blonde followed her gaze thoroughly intrigued.

"Wait." Emma turned from the bench to catch up with Regina's stride. "What does Henry have to do with it?"

If Emma hadn't been scrutinizing the older woman's gaze, she wouldn't have noticed the slightly pink tint her cheeks took.

"He's clearly devoted to the center, and I thought it would be a great opportunity for him to help in any way that he can," Regina explained. "Frederick said he wasn't enrolled in any other programs, so I thought he could help him out for today and be here for the shoot."

Emma stared at her for a moment, knitting her eyebrows at the woman's explanation.

"If that's all?" Regina didn't wait for an answer and immediately went onto the court, crouching down behind the toddlers as they sat cross-legged in the center of the gym staring up obediently at Frederick and Henry.

* * *

"Are you sure I'm helping?" Henry asked as he sat next to Regina on the bench.

The brunette was editing one of the pictures on the device but stopped to direct her attention to Henry. "Of course you are. I got some excellent shots of you."

She saved her progress and scrolled through the library, holding up the screen as proof.

Henry grinned, taking the camera gently in both hands as he looked at a picture of himself from the profile.

"How come you smile in pictures for her and not me?" Emma teased, coming over and sitting on the opposite side of her son.

"I'm just very good at my job," Regina quipped, allowing Henry to continue looking through the pictures.

"Yeah? What else are you good at?"

"How to dress," the brunette smirked off-handedly, but the tone of her voice was playful.

Emma narrowed her eyes. "Funny. Laugh it up."

Regina tilted her head as if the notion was obvious.

"Seriously, you never told me what you do for fun."

"Why would she tell you that?" Henry piped up though his gaze was still on the camera.

"We've hung out," Emma answered ignoring the brunette's questioning glare.

"Why?"

Brown eyes caught green, and Emma internally grinned that Regina had been so surprised at Henry's intuitiveness.

Before Emma could answer, Regina leaned down to Henry. "I lost a bet."

The boy finally looked up and have the older brunette a smirk, chuckling conspiratorially with her at his mother.

For her part, Emma rolled her eyes annoyed at the double team. By the time Frederick had called Henry back to help with the clean up, Emma had scooted closer to Regina, snatching the camera from the brunette's grip.

Before Regina could reprimand her for her behaviour, Emma observed casually. "You're really good with kids."

Regina snapped her jaw shut having not expected the comment.

"Do you have any?"

"Children? No."

Emma browsed through the camera's library, grinning at some of the goofy faces the toddlers had made when they discovered the pretty lady's toy was more fun than the bean bag toss Frederick had attempted to get them to play.

"I would never have guessed," Emma said. "The kids really took to you."

"Children can be quite the responsibility," the brunette responded, craning her head to smirk at the picture where all the children, Henry leading the charge, had chased Frederick around the gym.

Emma closed the distance between them, their shoulders touching as she settled the camera in between them. "Aren't you all big on responsibility?"

"Of course, but it is not something I'd take lightly," the brunette answered. "Children deserve your unconditional love and support."

"You make it sound like it's something you can't provide." She pointed at a picture of Frederick arm palming a ball, a thinner, teenage looking arm following his and a child's arm overlapping. "I like that."

"Thank you, though Frederick kept fumbling." Regina rolled a shoulder noncommittally at Emma's previous statement. "I just want to be sure before I venture into caring for a child."

"Well you're already doing a pretty damn good job of it." Emma held up a picture of Henry with a giant smile on his face. "Can you send me this?"

The older woman nodded before knitting her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Henry," Emma answered simply. "This project of yours to help the neighbourhood kids. That's some instinct in you, isn't it?"

Regina furrowed her brow, boring her eyes into Emma's trying to dissect just exactly what the blonde meant even though it was clear as day.

"Anyways," the blonde said resuming her photo looking, "if this being a famous photographer thing doesn't pan out, you should do something with kids."

"I'll take your professional input into consideration." Regina recovered, taking the camera from Emma and watched as the blonde gave her a grin and stood to make her way over to Frederick and Henry.

Emma didn't notice that Regina had held the camera back up and had snapped a picture of her giving Henry a noogie.

* * *

It had been a long three weeks. Emma was back on the night shifts, she and Henry had spent their last three Saturdays in their apartment courtyard kicking around his soccer ball, and she hadn't heard from or bumped into Regina in all that time. How long did it really take to develop some pictures? A part of Emma, a larger than normal part, was disappointed when the brunette had ceased to make appearances in her life.

It was an odd feeling. A feeling she didn't know how to name.

The text she had received from Frederick that Monday morning had him asking her to bring Henry down to the center. Despite her reluctance, explaining she had to work later on that night, the teacher had persuaded her that they should drop by.

So Emma found herself struggling to parallel park again and cheering in small victory when she somehow managed the challenging feat on her third try. She checked the time again to see that she had a few hours before she needed to drop Henry off at Ashley's. Bumping into Henry made her head snap up.

"What are you-" She stopped when she saw outside the center's building were painters and contractors, men in safety gear milling about as they navigated the landscape and added some shrubbery to the bleak outside.

The boy looked up to his mom and shrugged as they walked into the main lobby. Immediately, the change in atmosphere was noticed. The usual grey and bland walls were repainted in vibrant colours, the original hand print wall still in tact. The waiting chairs and tables all matched. Words like 'community' and 'friends' were painted along the walls along with motivational quotes.

"Woah," Henry said amazed as he walked slowly through the halls.

On a hunch he yanked open the gym doors to see new basketball nets, and he was willing to bet there was new equipment in the storage unit too. He turned suddenly into his mom who whistled impressed at the new designs. "This is so cool!"

Emma nibbled her lip and nodded along. It certainly was different from the prison-like community center the building was just last month. It looked cleaner, happier, and much more friendly for children. She smiled tightly at Henry as she ushered him back to the lobby in search of Frederick to congratulate him. No doubt the changes involved their project.

"Emma!"

Mother and son turned when the man they were looking for stepped out of his office with a bag full of various coloured community center shirts. He jogged over to them, his face beaming.

"How do you like the new changes?"

"It's amazing," Emma nodded.

"Those shirts are awesome," Henry said eyeing the makeshift jerseys. "Are they for the older boys?"

"All the kids get one," Frederick answered pulling out a blue one and holding it up for Henry. "Like this one?"

"Really?"

"Yeah?" Emma asked at the same time. She knew Henry had been eyeing them, and she mentally concocted ways to break it down that he still didn't go to the center anymore.

"Yeah, Em," Frederick laughed and shouldered the bag. "You think we're going to renovate without opening up the free gym hour?"

He tossed the shirt to Henry before leading mother and son closer to the main desk where a large portrait hung to the left of it beside the information board.

"Hey," Emma said surprised, her lips turning upwards into a pleased smirk as she took in the picture.

"Hey," Henry mimicked. "That's me."

On the wall were three vertical portraits, each one higher than the other ascending upwards like a staircase, all black and white, all looking out onto the gym court. The first one was a profile of a little boy, the urge not to smile prominent on his face. The middle was Henry's profile, his shaggy hair draping over his eyes. The last was one of the teen boys' side view as he stared seriously out ahead of him. Underneath all three pictures was the quote _"Children are likely to live up to what you believe in them." - Lady Bird Johnson_

"Look at you, kid. You're famous," Emma grinned ruffling her son's hair.

"Go on down to the gym and check out the new additions," Frederick said nudging him along.

"The program's really back up?" Henry asked hopefully.

His face broke out into a grin at Frederick's nod before he sprinted away and disappeared behind the gym door.

"So I don't get it," Emma said as soon as Henry left. "What happened?"

"Regina held a benefit auction for the pictures she took. Most of them were even donated back to the center, but this one Regina donated herself," the man answered motioning to the frame. "She helped raise a lot of money."

Emma's eyes widened in surprise. She had assumed Regina would sell her pictures, but she never even imagined that the brunette would make enough to have most of the center freaking renovated. That was above and beyond the call of friendship or merely helping a boy she met at the park. Perhaps she underestimated the woman after all.

"Hey you have Kathryn's number, right?" Emma asked suddenly.

* * *

Emma was anxiously checking her phone for the time when she realized how close she was cutting it on being late for work. Still, she knocked on the door of the studio and only wondered whether it was too late to warrant a visit when she heard shuffling on the other side. Her thoughts were interrupted when a moment later Regina answered the door still sporting dress shorts that were much too short to be considered professional and her blouse unbuttoned, hanging loosely over the undershirt she wore beneath it.

The brunette's mouth parted in surprise as she slipped her glasses off her face and leaned against the door. "Emma?"

Emma's mouth had parted in its own right when she took in the other woman before her. Obviously Regina had relaxed while in the comfort of her studio, but never had Emma seen her so informal, and the glasses the brunette tucked into her sleeve was damn near endearing.

"Emma?" Regina questioned again, though not angrily, Emma was pleased to note. "How did you find this address?"

Emma's snapped her jaw shut coming to her senses. "Kathryn."

"Is there a reason you're visiting so late?"

"I just wanted to say thanks." Emma began shoving her hands into her pockets. "For the center and everything. Henry was thrilled."

The brunette shrugged as if it were no big deal, but the twinkle in her eyes told another story. "So how do the children like the new area?"

"I'm pretty sure they're more psyched about the shirts that they get to wear."

Regina chuckled making Emma grin at the older woman.

They remained quiet as the laughter fizzled down. Standing in the doorway of Regina's studio, Emma swayed while Regina just watched her amused.

"Work?" Regina asked motioning to Emma's cut offs and cowboy boots.

"Yeah, I'm just on my way over there now," the blonde nodded hooking her thumbs into the belt loops of her shorts.

Regina nodded and waited as Emma studiously observed the door jamb. The brunette had to admit that Emma pulled that look off exceptionally well. She had to remind herself to maintain eye contact, but she was no fool; she saw Emma falter when she answered the door.

"Is there something you need?"

Emma gave Regina another obvious once over. Her plan had been to thank the brunette, but seeing her in her comfort zone always did something to Emma that the blonde couldn't explain. She struggled with wanting to find more topics of conversation and being very aware of the time ticking away.

At Regina's raised eyebrow, Emma reached her hand to squeeze the older woman's arm briefly. "I just wanted to say thanks."

She turned abruptly to go but the sound of heels stepping forward got her attention.

"Wait," Regina said hastily. "Come inside for a moment?"

Emma nodded a little too quickly for her liking before she followed Regina into her studio. She stopped in the middle of the wide open room to see black and white pictures lining the walls and a fantastic view of the city lights filled her vision as she stared out of the floor to ceiling windows.

"Wow," Emma whispered taking in the scenery.

She turned at the sound of a door closing where Regina emerged holding a small stack of photographs in her hand.

"I assumed you would want these," Regina said holding out the pictures.

Emma was confused but immediately broke out into a smile as she looked at the top photo of Henry grinning into the camera. She studied them to see that all of them had Henry in them in some way or another. Her apartment held pictures of the boy, but never had she seen a photo so clear with obvious thought taken into account.

"Thank you," Emma said when she was finished thumbing through them. She moved to retrieve her wallet from her back pocket. "I can pay you for them-"

"It's not necessary." Regina stopped the blonde's action with a hand to her arm. "Consider it a gift."

The blonde chuckled and shook her head lightly. "You're full of surprises, you know that right?"

"That's the only way to be successful," the brunette replied coyly with a tilt of her chin.

Neither mentioned that Regina's hand remained on Emma's arm or that they had been holding this staring contest for far too long.

"I should head to work." Emma motioned her head to the door.

"Of course, I'm heading home shortly as well."

"That penthouse?" Emma smirked.

"Something along those lines," the brunette replied smartly.

Emma walked to the door and held a hand on the doorknob for a moment briefly contemplating her next move. She turned suddenly with a brave face and determined eyes. "Do you want to do something?"

"Do what?"

The blonde shrugged. "On Friday. I finish a little earlier if you wanted to meet up and stuff."

"Are you asking me on a date?" The corner of Regina's lips twitched in amusement.

"Something along those lines," Emma repeated back the lines pointedly. "It won't be to a bar."

Regina held herself as she looked around the room in contemplation. She took far longer than what was comfortable for Emma, and before the blonde could chuckle awkwardly and take back her request, the brunette's words had her smirking but grinning internally.

"I suppose one date won't kill me."

Emma had to double take to make sure she had heard right. "Is that your version of a yes?"

Her answer came in the form of a glare that said Regina would not be repeating her statement. Emma grinned and nodded before bidding the older woman goodnight.

"Friday then?"

"Friday," Regina confirmed coming to close the door.

By the time Emma was left alone in the hallway, she let out a breath she wasn't even aware she was holding. Suddenly the hallway lights seemed brighter and she swore she heard angels sing. Holy crap she just scored a date with Regina Mills.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer in Chapter One**

**AN: The big date is here! I hope you guys enjoy it! Thank you so much for your support!**

* * *

Regina held yet another dress up to her body as she examined the royal blue material against olive skin. She didn't know why she was worried over something as simple as a date, with Emma Swan no less, but Regina found her anxiety eating at her all day. Her lips curled into a smile deeming this outfit appropriate as she slipped it on just as her phone rang.

Who would be calling at this hour? The momentary thought that it was Emma calling to cancel flitted through her mind and didn't leave even when she picked up the phone.

"Good evening, dear. I'm glad I caught you before bed," her mother greeted.

"Mother," the younger brunette responded politely. She shouldered the phone and continued to shuffle around the room as she got ready.

"I read about your benefit auction for the less fortunate-"

"They're not less fortunate, Mother. It was a old youth center that was in danger of being shut down permanently."

"Don't interrupt, Regina." Cora's tone was not to be taken lightly as Regina mumbled an apology. "Regardless, your humanitarian work may actually be your saving grace."

Regina rolled her eyes, something that would not be tolerated had her mother actually been in the room before she put the phone on speaker and applied her make up, rummaging through the many bottles and tubes.

"It would have benefitted if you had a picture in the paper alongside a few of the children to show your support."

"There was no need to exploit the children, Mother," Regina argued.

"Dear, it's not exploitation when it's charity, and what on earth are you doing?"

Regina gently placed her make up down as quietly as she could. She was hoping her mother wouldn't ask since she never took much of an interest in her personal life unless it conflicted with Cora's views on what her interests should be.

"I'm going out," she said slowly, loathing the feeling of being questioned like a child.

"Why, it's nearly ten." Despite her statement being a simple observation, Regina knew her mother was asking where she was going and with whom.

"I'm aware, Mother," Regina answered picking up the phone and pacing the length of her washroom, picking at imaginary specks of her clothing. "I'm meeting someone."

"Regina," Cora's tone was low and dangerous. "Who are you meeting?"

Regina knew that as soon as she gave a name her mother would be investigating the type of family they came from, and she had no time or want for lectures. "Just a colleague from the youth center."

"At this hour?"

"Yes, Mother, I'll call you in the morning." Without waiting for a goodbye, Regina hung up, cringing at the conversation she was going to have with her mother in the morning whether she liked it or not.

She slipped into heels, fluffed out her perfectly coiffed hair, and checked the time, seeing that Emma should be arriving any moment now. Leaving her bedroom, she wandered aimlessly into her kitchen thoroughly debating whether a glass of wine would soothe her nerves.

It had been a long time since she had been on a date. A real date. She was no stranger to having a companion for galleries or openings, but she couldn't even remember the last time she had accepted an invitation from someone she _wanted_ to go out with.

There was something about Emma Swan that was infuriating and endearing all wrapped into one. Truth be told, the weeks she had invested herself into setting up and promoting the auction with Kathryn had her scheming some ways to involve the younger blonde, but her thoughts looked suspicious even to her.

She had been wrong about the short-tempered bartender she had met over a month ago, and she was determined to find out more about the younger woman who found it sport to get under her skin. The blonde was opinionated, outspoken, and over-confident, but remembering her awkward shuffle at her studio and the way she had raised an eyebrow daring Regina to go out with her that night at the gallery made all those traits tolerable. The blonde was also late, Regina noticed taking in the time.

She was reaching for a wine glass when she heard a loud thump and mumbled cursing echo throughout her hallway. No sooner did Regina return her stilettos to the ground was there a knocking on her door. Straightening her already pressed dress, she strode across her kitchen and through her living room to open the door. Her eyes roamed before she even had a chance to properly greet the woman on the other side.

Brown eyes skimmed over a black tight leather dress that left nothing to the imagination as it followed a path down toned legs she had never thought to appreciate before ending on ruby red pumps.

Emma tilted her head to the side sheepishly, her wavy locks falling over her shoulders as a braid kept hair from falling into her face. "Hi."

* * *

"Shit, shit, shit," Emma mumbled as she jumped off the counter and rushed behind other bartenders as they twirled bottles, flipped tumblers, and poured a quick fire round of shots.

Her shift had officially ended ten minutes ago, but it was fifteen minutes ago when the crowd had chanted her name and August all but carried her onto the counter. She had made the extra cash, but she was pushing it for time. She still had to change and get across town. She nearly screeched when she felt a presence close behind her and fingers fiddling in her hair. She was about to turn her head but Ruby kept her jaw forward.

"What are you doing?" Emma questioned trying to escape her friend's space.

"You really gonna go with your hair looking like this?" It was then Emma felt the makings of a braid form along her hair. "Now move faster and get dressed."

It was awkward, to say the least, as Emma slipped into the back room to the lockers with Ruby making sure her hair was presentable. The brunette let up when Emma stripped and slipped on her dress and smirked causing Emma to roll her eyes.

"Where are you going?" Ruby asked sitting on a bench watching Emma frantically apply make up.

"Marco's."

"Ooh, fancy," Ruby grinned and stood, coming to stand beside the blonde to adjust her own make up.

"You think so?" Emma asked hopefully.

"Relax," the brunette said holding down her friend's shoulders. "Nervousness doesn't suit you."

Emma glared playfully then slipped carefully into her red heels to complete the outfit, blushing when her friend gave an encouraging whistle. She nodded her goodbye and slipped back out into the bar, waving to the other girls now on the counter as she navigated her way through the rowdy crowd. Her regulars stopped and stared openly at their favourite bartender out of shorts and in a dress, but Emma evaded all their glances as she exited the bar and drove quickly to Regina's.

* * *

She managed to slip by the security desk of the condo when a family of four had opened the door to leave. Standing in the lobby of, Emma was momentarily dumbstruck and briefly wondered if she had wandered into the Hilton. She had to double take at the fountain spewing water out of stone angel mouths and into the buckets they were holding.

When the security guard looked at her warily, she gave a friendly smile before shouldering her purse and found the elevator, pushing the button numerous times as if it would make the elevator come faster. Before the guard could approach her, the doors thankfully opened, and even inside this small moving box, Emma was impressed by how clean it was.

She fixed her hair in the mirrors that substituted as walls, silently thanking Ruby for thinking to fix it for her. Her leather dress was the best thing she owned, and standing in the floor to ceiling mirror elevator with golden railings and a speed that rivaled that of her car, Emma was starting to wonder if she should have shopped for a better dress.

The doors opened suddenly, an automated voice announcing she had reached the third floor, and Emma took a steadying breath before stepping out.

She tripped almost immediately.

"Fuck!" She yelled loudly, cursing her choice in heels. Pushing herself off the wall that had prevented her from completely falling on her ass, Emma took another deep breath.

Come on, Emma. She already said yes. Now just don't mess it up.

Leave it to Emma to find solace in a Will Smith movie, she strode purposely to door 3B and knocked twice.

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Regina standing on the other side, a tight fitted royal blue dress hugging her body, pearls lacing her neck, bangles dangling on her wrists. If anyone looked like a million bucks it was Regina Mills. It took a moment before Emma realized that the brunette had taken in Emma in a similar fashion, and by the time their eyes met, the blonde smiled. "Hi."

"Here I thought you had forgotten," Regina said tilting her head, her lips twitching upwards.

"About you? Next to impossible."

"I was about to have a glass of wine. I'd offer you one, but I assume we have reservations." She moved to collect her bag and coat from the wall hooks beside the entrance.

"Inviting me in already? I'd say you were doing this date thing backwards," Emma joked with a grin plastered on her face.

Regina glared, buttoning up her coat and shouldering her bag. She went through her purse to make sure she had all the necessities and then looked up to see Emma giving her a closed mouth smile. "Is there a problem?"

Green eyes travelled down Regina's body again despite the fact that the photographer was more clothed than she was five minutes earlier. They finally settled in a sea of brown and locked there.

"You look really nice tonight." Emma instinctively placed her hands at her hips to dig them into pockets that weren't there. "I didn't think you'd say yes."

"You clean up pretty nicely yourself," Regina complimented. She leaned her head in slightly and whispered conspiratorially. "I didn't think you'd ask."

"Wait, what?" Emma furrowed her brows, wondering if she had heard right.

"It seems as if tonight is full of surprises, don't you agree?" Regina quirked her eyebrows, smirking at the dumbfounded Emma before making her way to the elevator. "Shall we?"

By the time Regina had brushed by her, Emma turned and caught the older woman's arm closing the distance between them. Their faces were inches apart, Regina's eyes wide and surprised.

"Just in case we don't get to the end of the date," Emma whispered closing the distance between them.

She left the smallest gap allowing Regina to make the ultimate decision and was surprised when she felt her lips touch hers as they pressed together. It was all lips as Emma opened hers to move softly over Regina's, her hand tightening around the older woman's elbow to steady herself. Even from the short contact, Emma could feel her mind swimming, and judging from Regina's insistent step forward hers was suffering a similar fate.

Emma pulled back and smiled, internally clapping herself on the back for making Hitch her dating guru before offering her hand to Regina who looked pleasantly surprised and slightly confused all at once. "Ready?"

* * *

Emma thanked her lucky stars that her bug stalled only once. She had conned Henry into helping her clean it, claiming most of the mess came from him and his inability to properly keep food in his mouth, so mother and son had spent an afternoon after school cleaning the vehicle. Whether Regina noticed or appreciated it, Emma wasn't sure, but she was pleased that the brunette hadn't said a word about her not always so trusty steed. In fact, she hadn't been much of a talker since she entered the car. Swallowing a gulp, Emma proceeded to break the silence.

"Did I ruin it?" Emma asked, subconsciously clutching the wheel tightly.

Regina turned from staring out the window to knit her brows in confusion. "Ruin what?"

"Our date," the blonde explained. "Did I kiss you too early?"

"By the rules of proper first date order I'd have to say yes."

"And by your rules?"

The brunette rolled a noncommittal shoulder but gave a sideways smirk making Emma release the tension her body had unwittingly held.

"Why so quiet?"

Regina turned back to the window, lights from skyscrapers illuminating her face. "I enjoy the scenery."

"What do you like so much about it?" Emma asked before turning onto a side street.

"The lights."

It was all the answer Regina had given, but Emma didn't get the chance to question when she pulled into a parking space across the street from the restaurant.

"You like Italian?"

* * *

Emma had only heard stories of Marco's. The once little whole in the wall restaurant had gained enough recognition to move to a better location in upstate New York to become one of the most authentic Italian restaurants around. Luckily for Emma, Marco was also August's father, a kindly old man who used the money he had received from selling his restaurant to open a small out-of-home wood shop. A word from the original owner had gotten her the reservations. Theoretically she could have Marco's cooking whenever she wanted if she visited the old man, but to actually have a meal in this place was impressive in and of itself.

Sitting in the restaurant now, the instrumental music playing softly in the background, candles illuminated on every table and surface to give off a warm glow, and the woodwork and architecture of the place intricately designed gave quite the intimidating feeling. Emma had never been in a restaurant where the menu was encased in some sort of leather bound journal. The plates and cutlery were precisely arranged on the table - two forks to her left, a knife on her right, and smaller spoon above the plate. Her water glass was never empty. After simply taking a sip, a waiter with a cloth on his arm would come by to refill her glass and silently slink off.

"I'm impressed that you managed to get a reservation here on such short notice," Regina admitted as she browsed through the menu.

"I know people," the blonde winked.

"Networking will get you everywhere."

"That sounds like your motto." Emma cut herself off when she opened her own menu, squinting at the Italian words on the page. What the hell was an antipasti?

Her eyes skimmed the page but then widened when she caught sight of the prices. Jesus, it was a wonder that August had opened a bar if his father was making this much. The man could be an heir. She cleared her throat before looking up at the waiter who had returned. She motioned for Regina to start, noting how seamlessly she was speaking to the waiter with careful instructions on her meal.

He turned towards Emma who ordered dishes she was familiar with and could properly pronounce. You couldn't go wrong with ordering a plate of spaghetti with bruschetta to start.

"So what's your motto?" Regina asked as soon as the waiter was gone with their menus.

It took a minute for Emma to realize what she meant before shrugging. "I think hard work gets you everywhere. You can know the whole world, but what good is that if you just sit around expecting to go through life being held by the hand?"

Regina cocked an eyebrow and sipped her water. "It looks like we agree on that."

"We're agreeing on something?" Emma feigned a shocked look.

The brunette grinned and shrugged a shoulder. "You're working on owning your own bar?"

Emma nodded. "I didn't really have a drive to do that until I had Henry."

"Why the sudden change?"

"He's my kid, you know?" Emma fiddled with the cloth napkin in her lap, her eyes downcast before raising them up again. "I want to give him better than I ever had. When I found out I was pregnant, everyone told me I wouldn't be able to raise him. I would mess up his life or that he has a better chance with an adopted family. I almost listened to them."

"You have an inquisitive and intelligent young son," Regina said softly. "I think you've proved them wrong."

Emma chuckled bashfully. "I hope so. It's still a work in progress."

"What made you change your mind?"

The blonde wrung her hands and furrowed her brow before answering. "I was in foster care. I got bounced around from place to place more often than I didn't. I didn't want him to go through that. Not having a real family, real parents, it's the crappiest thing you can go through."

Emma gulped her water before placing it down a little too tensely. "Anyway, what about you? Did you always want to be a photographer?"

"Yes," Regina admitted. "But I've only been doing it for a couple of years now."

"Really? That's hard to believe."

"My family owns a string of hotels. I went to business school and did human resources to earn my degree."

"I thought you said you went to photography school," Emma inquired.

"I did," Regina said fingering the stem of her water glass. "My mother wasn't pleased."

"Ohh," Emma nodded in understanding. "You went away from the family business. How'd your dad take it?"

"He passed away just before I enrolled," the brunette said quietly.

"I'm sorry," Emma offered, her arm extended on the table and her finger gave a shy stroke on the older woman's arm.

"It's fine," Regina said before smiling fondly at a memory. "He was surprised I had opted to learn how to run his franchise, but when he died he left me an inheritance that I was supposed to use only if I should venture into a different field."

Emma grinned. "He knew it wasn't for you."

"Yes, well convincing my mother otherwise is still a work in progress as you say," the brunette said into her glass.

"Your mom wasn't like your dad, huh?"

"She just wants what's best for me," the brunette insisted, though the hesitance in her eyes spoke volumes. "She's proud that I was successful in my career."

"Is she just proud you didn't disappoint the family name?" The words were out before Emma could catch them, and when she realized what she had said, she cringed at how slow her brain caught up with her mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

"It's fine." Regina didn't refute Emma's question, and the blonde duly noted the fact.

She leaned forward and fully placed her palm over Regina's arm, watching as the older woman stared at the hand for a moment before catching green eyes. "I'd be proud of you if you were my daughter."

"Luckily I'm not or this date would be awkward and illegal," Regina quipped.

Emma laughed and leaned back in her chair, removing her palm but immediately missing the warmth and the smooth skin that was just beneath it. "Look at you cracking jokes."

They were interrupted when the waiter brought their appetizers. The smell of Regina's braciola wafted over to Emma. The thinly sliced pan-fried beef roll smelled heavenly. She should have ordered two plates of that instead and called it a night. She watched as Regina lifted a fork and ate a bite, grinning when the brunette shut her eyes in satisfaction.

"Good?" Emma asked when the brunette could see again.

"It's delicious."

"I'm not much of a cooker," Emma said taking a bite out of her bruschetta and motioned to it. "I would probably burn this fancy toast."

Regina laughed lightly, a sound soft yet sincere, and Emma found herself wondering what a real laugh from her would sound like. She would make it her mission to find out.

* * *

Dinner was successful, at least Emma hoped it was. They had talked all through it, about their jobs, their hobbies - which involved heavy teasing when Regina admitted she enjoyed attending broadway plays resulting in Emma joking that she probably sang the songs out loud in her car.

All throughout the meal, Emma was careful not to spill any sauce on her dress or her face, but she was unsuccessful when Regina leaned over the table and wiped a spot on the corner of her mouth with her napkin. The blonde had blushed profusely, but Regina just smiled and returned to her seat continuing on conversation.

Emma had called for the bill, playing with her fingers under the table as she waited in anticipation, silently glad that she had made those extra tips just before arriving tonight. She smiled politely and opened the bill book, internally wincing and mentally making a note to let Marco know his place got ridiculously expensive after he sold it. Her face remained impassive though as she dug through her purse, pulling out a crumpled roll of bills and counting out the majority of it. Flattening them out as best she could, she placed them back in the book and handed it to the waiter who looked surprised at the stack of fives, tens, and twenties he held before bidding the two women goodnight.

Emma stood and shouldered her purse which felt significantly lighter before taking Regina's elbow and leading them out. It was already half past eleven, but Emma didn't want the night to end just yet. She tugged the older woman's sleeve when she headed for the car.

"Wanna go for a walk?"

"Right now?"

"Do you want to go home?" Emma asked suddenly uncertain.

"I don't want to be mugged," the brunette answered pointedly.

Emma laughed taking Regina's waist and leading them to the bright lights and noisy sounds of a heavily trafficked street. "You have mace. You can protect us."

The brunette rolled her eyes but found herself leaning into Emma's grip. They walked comfortably, their heels clicking on the sidewalk, fading bass beats sounding from clubs they passed, and the odd car horn from a tired, frustrated driver. Regina looked up at the building and billboards, watching the lights pulse and glow in the darkness.

"What do you like about the lights?" Emma asked, her lips close to Regina's ear.

"They look like stars," the brunette answered as they stopped walking to look up at a skyscraper with lights sporadically turned on throughout the building. "The stars are difficult to see, so when I was a child I used to wish on the lights instead."

"What did you wish for?"

Regina laughed to herself and shook her head embarrassed. "To play outside. A puppy. Candy."

"You weren't allowed candy as a kid?" Emma asked appalled. "I thought I had it rough."

"I assume you spoil Henry with that way of thinking," Regina jested allowing Emma to lead them back when the temperature became too chilly.

"I try," Emma admitted. "He likes comics, but that adds up quickly. He wants to go to comic con when he's older."

"You'll get him there." Regina's statement was a fact rather than a question.

"What makes you say that?"

"You'd do anything for him."

"He's my kid."

"That doesn't necessarily mean parents break their back to give their children what they want and need," the older woman explained. "Most parents are not like you."

The blonde shuffled from foot to foot, her hand moving from Regina's waist until it found her hand. She was acutely aware when their fingers intertwined. "How come you helped him? With the charity auction and stuff. I mean he didn't really need to be there."

They turned a street to see the beetle in sight down the road. The blonde could see Regina was mulling over her words and let her take the time to find them. By the time they reached the bug, she spoke.

"I understand what it's like to need a place of your own, where you feel safe and you are cared about," the brunette answered carefully. "The children need that, and Henry needed that, to feel like he was making a difference because if he didn't you would have worked yourself to the bone to put him in a program and you'd never see him."

Emma stared at her dumbfounded. She knew the woman was observant, but that was uncanny. "You're really good at that."

"What?"

"Caring about people."

Regina faltered. That was not a trait generally associated with herself. The people who knew her feared her wrath and her take charge attitude and perfectionism. The people she worked with knew she would be unforgiving if things were done incorrectly or not to her standards. For someone to say she had a heart and used it was something completely out of the ordinary.

She looked up at the blonde in wonder then whispered. "Thank you."

Emma grinned before opening the car door for her then slipping into the driver's seat.

The ride back to Regina's condo was too short, and by the time Emma had walked the brunette up to her floor, they hesitated at her doorstep.

"So we kind of did this backwards," Emma joked. "Kissed first, talked about deep non-first date stuff. I don't even know your favourite colour."

"Purple," Regina answered with a smirk. "Is that a bad thing doing this backwards?"

"I just screwed myself with kissing you first," the blonde stated scratching her head. "Did you have a good enough time that you want to see me again?"

"Surprisingly I did," Regina admitted.

"Don't be surprised," the blonde smirked again squeezing the older woman's arm. "When have you not had fun with me?"

"When I had to wait two hours in a bar as you attempted to keep yourself awake," the older woman answered pointedly.

Emma grinned then released the grip she had on Regina. She smiled with her eyes as they caught Regina's, and before she had time to comprehend, Regina had closed the gap between them, her lips coming within an inch of Emma's.

"Perhaps we can start moving forward," she whispered into Emma's mouth. The hot air passed between them was intoxicating.

The blonde gave no answer and simply pressed her lips against Regina's, their mouths moulded against one another's as they moved fluidly. Emma swiped her tongue along Regina's bottom lip and was pleased when plump red lips parted to allow her entrance. She teased the older woman with her tongue just once before pulling back, her palm resting against Regina's cheek. She took in the pink blush on olive skin before placing a peck on her cheek.

"So was that kiss your trademark wrap around way of saying yes without actually saying it?" Emma asked hopefully.

Regina smirked and opened her door before stepping in. "Yes."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer in Chapter One.**

**AN: Sorry for the wait! I've been busy lately, but I had a lot of fun with this chapter. Jealous Emma makes an appearance along with Graham! Hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

"So," Ruby began elongating the word. "You avoided me last night, how was the date?"

Emma made a face, inclining her head towards Henry who was piling his hot dog with a mountain of ketchup as Emma waited for her own by the vendor. They had decided to take a stroll and found themselves midtown and starving finding street meat to be the most logical solution.

"What?" Ruby placed a hand on her hip. "The kid knows what a date is, right Henry?"

"Mom was giddy all yesterday morning," the boy ratted her out earning himself a glare from his mother.

"Giddy?" Ruby repeated with a knowing smirk. "So at what time were you stumbling back home? Or was it the Walk of Shame?"

"What's the Walk of Shame?"

"Nothing." Emma took her hot dog and distracted herself by pouring condiments on it before turning back towards her friend and whispering. "You know I don't do that on the first date."

"But it was good?" Ruby pressed.

Emma couldn't contain the smile from forming on her face as she remembered the night she had spent in Regina's company. "Yeah. It was really good."

* * *

"That good?" Kathryn said as soon as Regina walked into the coffee shop where they had agreed to meet.

Regina was a sight for sore eyes, that much was obvious, but nothing could deny the way she smiled and how she glowed this Sunday morning.

"I beg your pardon?" Regina asked with a furrow of her brow though her smile remained on her face.

"Your date."

There was a glint in Regina's eye as she offered a casual shrug before waiting in line to order her gourmet coffee.

"Do you see what taking a chance gets you?" Kathryn asked standing beside Regina. "So how was it? Tell me all about it."

Regina turned her head to look at her friend though her eyes were just a little bit distant as they recalled Friday evening. "She kissed me."

The blonde squealed grasping the older woman's arm. "That must have been a great date."

"No, it was when we were leaving for the restaurant."

* * *

"You kissed her at the beginning of the date?" Ruby gawked.

Henry scrunched up his nose at the image. Sure, he loved his mom and was happy she was on a date with Regina, but there were some things he didn't need to know. He made the decision to eat his hot dog on a different bench and made it a point to let his mom know.

"I didn't not want to at the end, and I figured we could get through the awkward fumblings then," Emma defended.

"Couldn't resist, could you?"

"She's different," Emma said after devouring the last bite of her hot dog and tossing the napkin into the trash from where they sat on the bench. "She's more than just some princess."

* * *

"She's been through a lot, and she's doing well by her son," Regina said as they walked down the street with their coffees in hand, passing by a group of jazz street performers. "I underestimated her."

"Well when you first met me you thought I was an airhead heiress," Kathryn pointed out.

Regina shrugged apologetically as she sipped her brew. "She has a way of getting information out of me."

"It was a date, Regina. Not some interrogation. People reciprocate when they share personal stories."

"Do you exchange details about your family and upbringing on first dates?"

The blonde's silence answered her question.

"She's surprisingly easy to talk to, yet there's something about her that's so defiant."

"Like you."

Regina faltered in her step and looked curiously at her friend before shaking her head and proceeding to turn the corner.

* * *

"So when are you going to see her again?" Henry piped up as they began their walk down the street. He looked to Ruby. "What's the rule? Three days?"

Ruby opened her mouth to answer but was immediately cut off by Emma. "Ah, do not give my kid dating advice. He's eight."

The brunette just winked at the boy and subtly flashed him an a-okay sign.

"I don't know," Emma answered stuffing her hands in her pockets. "Soon."

She turned the corner and collided into another body, hot liquid splashing on her shirt, but nothing compared to the scream coming from the other person.

"Oh shit, I am so sorry." She stumbled forward in her haste to clean the person up but paused when she saw just who she had bumped into. "Crap."

"Lovely to see you too, Ms. Swan," Regina responded dryly as one hand held her shirt away from her chest. The silk was clearly ruined, the dark blue now a murky black.

"No, I mean, not crap seeing you, crap your shirt." The blonde fumbled looking for anything to offer as a tissue as she and Regina were ushered to the side of the street away from the traffic of the crowd.

"Here." Henry offered his napkin, stained with ketchup and mustard.

"You are certainly quite calm under pressure," Regina said graciously taking the napkin and dabbing at her shirt with the cleanest part of it. "Your mother, however..."

"She panics," Henry shrugged while puffing up his chest happy to help.

"Oh, honey," Kathryn sighed taking in Regina's state.

The aggravation on Regina's face was clearly etched, and with coffee spilling down her soaked shirt, no one could blame her.

"Come to my apartment," Emma blurted out. "I live only fifteen minutes away. I'll get you a shirt or something."

"Or something?" Ruby waggled her eyebrows before turning to the older blonde. "Kathryn, right? Want to walk with me and Henry while Regina gets cleaned up?"

Kathryn looked to Regina who sighed and gave a wave of her hand telling her friend to go. As soon as they were down the street and lost in the crowd, she glared at Emma.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

Regina took one final look down at her shirt before tossing her empty coffee cup into a trash can.

Emma watched her movements before slipping off her leather jacket and held it out for the older woman like a peace offering. Regina looked at it for a long moment then looked down at her soaked shirt. For a brief moment Emma thought the brunette was going to parade herself down the streets with a coffee-stained shirt, but as soon as she felt the jacket leave her fingers she smiled softly as Regina shrugged it on and zipped it up closed, cringing at the way the coffee, now cool, remained damp against her skin.

Even though the garment stood out shockingly against Regina's pressed slacks, Emma couldn't help but notice the way that Regina looked good in her jacket. She pulled off the badass look quite well.

"This way," Emma said as she tilted her head and stood close to Regina, their hands not quite holding but their fingers brushing with every step. "What are you doing in my neck of the woods?"

"Kathryn and I intended to grab some coffee, but you clearly had other plans for that." Regina's voice was playful and light though her pointed eyebrow was every bit as serious.

"This will probably be funny in two weeks."

"Probably." Regina looked around as they walked surprised to see that the neighbourhood they had turned into was nothing like she had imagined. It wasn't the cleanest or the safest, that much she could see by the graffitied signs and building, but it wasn't the infested dump she originally thought the blonde lived in. "I wasn't aware you lived here."

"That's another thing you don't know along with my favourite colour." Emma replied as they approached a small brick building with a few teens hanging outside it. "It's green, by the way."

"I'll make note of that."

Emma grinned as she pulled back the front iron bar door and allowed Regina to go in first before stepping in and unlocking the lobby door. Emma usually ignored the apartment-smell that lingered in the air, but being with Regina made her acutely aware of it and every water stain on the ceiling or mismatched furniture in the lobby. When Regina headed for the elevator, Emma steered her away from it, explaining it was under maintenance for the past two years but assured her it would be fixed any day now. As they climbed the stairs, Emma greeted her young neighbour who had her apartment door open and was playing with her daughter. Ashley and Alexandra returned the smile before Emma led Regina up one more flight of stairs to her own apartment.

Emma opened the door to a quaint two bedroom apartment. The entire main room was a living room and kitchen open concept that could easily be walked through in ten steps or less. Despite its size and minimal furnishing, the living room containing a couch and TV with a shelf of movies and only five paces away from the kitchen, it was clearly a space the blonde did her best to maintain. An air conditioner sat in a window, but judging by the thin humidity in the apartment, it was either broken or never used.

"Sorry," Emma mumbled running wildly through the apartment to pick up some discarded clothing hanging from the backs of chairs or couches. It irked her to see that most of them were hers. "Wasn't expecting company."

Regina had shut the door behind her and surveyed the room as Emma cleaned frantically. She walked over to the fridge and grinned to herself as Henry's tests and various art projects were proudly displayed. School pictures of him throughout the years were held up by magnets, and to Regina's surprise, the photos she had given the blonde were up as well. Regina couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride that she was included, but she quickly hit herself on the head for thinking that. They were pictures of Henry. Of course they would be hung up for all to see.

"That's his wall of fame," Emma said coming to stand behind Regina with a few shirts in her hand. "After a while I had to start putting them in boxes."

"He's very bright."

Emma nodded proudly pointing to his science test. "103%. Who does that?"

"Your son." Regina turned from the fridge to find Emma less than an inch away from her.

She moved a hand between them to unzip Emma's jacket from off her shoulders and shrugged out of the leather. She smirked at the way green eyes followed the trajectory of her hand as it travelled down the length of her torso. "The shirts?"

Emma shook her head and finally looked up to lock eyes with Regina. "Right." She muttered handing the brunette her nicest shirts. "You can change in my bedroom."

"Presumptuous," Regina smirked making her way to Emma's room.

"Not like that," Emma huffed as the bedroom door closed.

* * *

Regina had been in her room for nearly fifteen minutes now. How long did it really take to change a shirt? Maybe she didn't like them and was scouring through Emma's closet herself. That was likely. Emma, however, took it upon herself to find something more suitable and immediately went into the hallway closet to dig through the pile of clean laundry she had yet to fold. Pulling out a few articles that seemed appropriate, she held them out in front of her, inspecting them carefully before making her way to her room.

She opened the door without much thought. "I found more clothes for you."

She inhaled sharply when Regina's bare back was presented to her. "Uh sorry, I-"

Regina turned her head, her arms over her chest and an eyebrow quirked, but the faint rosy tint to her cheeks gave away her embarrassment. "It leaked through." The brunette motioned her head towards the bed where indeed, her white lacy bra was now stained a deep brown.

Emma took a step forward, her hand outstretched with the blouses she had found. "These might be better."

"Thank you." Regina made no move to turn around or grab the clothing.

Emma finally took the hint before dropping them on the bed beside Regina's bra. She took off from the room and shut the door behind her, leaning against it and laughing to herself over what had transpired.

* * *

Emma looked up when Regina finally exited the room wearing a baby blue blouse that Emma had found and long forgotten she had owned with the cuffs folded up to her elbows and the ends tucked into her high-waisted slacks. On Emma, the shirt would have hung limply, but on Regina it seemed as if she had bought it herself and had it tailored to fit her slim body. What made Emma swallow hard was the fact that she knew Regina was going braless under that shirt, and she could have sworn under her gaze she could see a hardened nipple, or maybe it was due to the draft in her apartment.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what, dear?"

"Make everything look good. It's like everything you touch turns to gold."

Regina chuckled to herself. "That would be Kathryn's father."

"Well you look good," Emma said from her spot by the counter.

"Perhaps you don't have awful taste after all," Regina teased.

Emma pushed off from the counter and slowly made her way to the brunette. "Coming from the woman who mentally undressed me on our date."

"I did no such thing." Regina crossed her arms over chest defiantly, and Emma was sad to see that pert little nipple go.

Emma laughed and slowly extended a hand out to unravel the arms crossed tightly around Regina's chest and held both of Regina's hands in her own. "So are you busy today?" She asked under a hooded gaze.

"I have plans with Kathryn." Regina smiled apologetically.

"Tomorrow?"

"I have a shoot at my studio." Regina frowned. "I'll be finished by 9."

"I work," Emma said attempting to hide her frown.

"Well we seem to be at a stalemate." Regina tightened her lips at their conflicting schedules.

"No," Emma decided smirking at Regina's curious eyebrow raise as she squeezed the older woman's hands. "Prepare yourself for a second date."

"And when will that be?"

"It's a surprise." She led them towards the door and held it open for Regina. When the brunette passed Emma, Emma leaned down a placed a chaste kiss on Regina's cheek.

"Sorry for the coffee," Emma explained with a hand behind her head.

Regina smirked. "A peck for a ruined shirt? You're already losing your touch."

Emma rolled her eyes as she locked the door behind them.

* * *

"So is Regina your girlfriend?" Henry asked as he and his mother walked back to their apartment after school.

"I'm not sure," Emma answered truthfully, shoving her thumb into the back pocket of her jeans and using her free hand to hold Henry's hand as they turned into their neighbourhood.

"Why not?"

"Because we've only been on one date."

"How many do you need?" The boy continued his curious interrogation.

"Well," Emma fumbled feeling uncomfortable discussing the ways of dating with her eight-year old when even she herself was an amateur on the subject. "It doesn't really matter as long as the two of you both want to be with each other."

"Do you want her to be?"

Emma gave him a sideways glance before nodding minutely in the affirmative.

"Are you going to talk to her?"

"Henry," Emma whined aggravated.

"What?" He shrugged innocently. "I like her."

Emma smiled softly as they turned into their building and she held the door open for her son. "Me too."

He headed for the stairs and held onto the railing, craning his neck to speak with his mother. "So are you going to ask her to be your girlfriend? Is she going to live with us?"

"Woah, kid. One step at a time," Emma said as they came up to their floor and she let them into the apartment. She crouched down to his level making sure he understood. "I'm gonna see her before work, and you know, I really like her too." She chuckled before smiling at Henry.

Henry made a show of crossing his fingers before mimicking his mother's smile. He ran off to the kitchen table, flinging his bag on the counter top and pulling out his homework. "Maybe she can come to my birthday!"

* * *

As soon as Henry was fed and brought to Ashley's, Emma mentally praised herself for her sense of timing. She had just enough time to head uptown and catch Regina at her studio. She drove quickly, taking back streets and finding herself at the studio in record time. It was a few minutes before seven when Emma knocked on the door.

Regina opened the door a moment later, dressed entirely business-like in her black slacks and blouse with her SLR hanging from her neck. "Emma?" She asked pleasantly surprised. "I thought you were working."

"In an hour," Emma nodded. "Want a fly on the wall? You won't even know I'm there."

"What's the purpose of that then?" Regina tilted her head and leaned against the door frame.

"Are you going to invite me in because you have already wasted-" Emma glanced down at her wrist watch. "Two and half minutes of our date."

Regina grinned but didn't budge for a full minute. When Emma raised an eyebrow, Regina let out a breathy laugh before making way for Emma to step through.

The change in the studio had Emma faltering. She had seen the wide open space of the loft before, decorated masterly with tones of white and black, but it now held a giant white backdrop against the western wall, complete with the giant flash bulb lights Emma had always assumed was part of a photo shoot. What threw her off though was the very naked man lying down in the middle of it, a fur blanket covering his pelvic region.

"Uh…" Emma couldn't help but stare at his defined muscles and chiseled abs. It was all but in her face. She whipped her head suddenly to Regina. "There's a naked man."

"Graham," Regina said to the model. "This is Emma. My…" Regina looked around the loft as if her studio held the answer she was looking for. "Emma."

"Hello Emma." His Irish accent was thick as he gave a wave from his spot by the backdrop.

"I thought you only do landscape," Emma whispered none too quietly to Regina.

"People seemed to enjoy the community center photos, so I've decided to take on a variety of different assignments," Regina answered casually.

"With a naked man?"

"It's for a magazine."

"For what? Playgirl?"

Regina laughed lightly. "They don't pay enough, dear."

"Is he gay?" Emma attempted.

Regina motioned to Graham who was watching their exchange with an amused expression, his shaggy hair falling into his eyes and his scruff adding to his defined chin. "Does he look it?"

"You don't look it," Emma argued.

Regina stopped her eyeroll midway through to tilt her head curiously at the blonde. "Are you jealous?"

"No." Emma's answer was too quick even for her, and she couldn't help but feel embarrassed under Regina's amused gaze.

"He's just a model," Regina said insistently reaching out to take a hold of Emma's hand. "Besides, you've now wasted three and a half minutes of our date."

Emma let out a chuckle at Regina throwing her words back at her before squeezing her hand in return. She turned to face Graham who smiled at finally being acknowledged. "Hey. Emma."

He gave a wolfish grin then turned to Regina. "We ready?"

"I don't know, dear. Are we ready?" She teased Emma.

"Just do your job." Emma gave Regina a slight nudge towards the backdrop before taking a seat on some ottoman of a chair just off to the side.

* * *

Whatever notions Emma had about photo shoots, the idea that the photographer constantly told their models to _work it_ or to be _fierce_ was thrown out the window when Emma watched Regina command the room by telling Graham just exactly how to pose or by positioning herself appropriately whenever he was to act natural. Despite taking control, she had a way of fixing the most minuscule of details - a simple turn of the chin or an adjustment of light - then she would smile down at her screen at a job well done.

Every so often over the hour, Regina would show Emma the pictures, describing in detail how all it took was this or that to cast the perfect shadow or to define a certain area. Emma grinned, watching Regina talk animatedly before the brunette would be off snapping another picture.

Emma winced when she noticed the time and knew for sure she would be late. She stood and waited for Regina to look up before motioning her to the side.

"I've gotta get going," Emma said apologetically. "I'll see you for date number three?"

"Already have it planned?" Regina let their fingers tangle naturally as they walked to the door.

"Henry's birthday's coming up," Emma said offhandedly. "We were going to do something on the weekend if you wanted to come."

Regina smiled lightly before nodding. "I'd love to."

"Great," Emma mimicked her smile before leaning down and pressing a light kiss against Regina's lips. She pulled back just as Regina was starting to kiss back and smirked at the brunette's frown. She turned to look pointedly at Graham who was adjusting the cuff links on his three-piece suit that he had changed into. Her voice held no nonsense as she spoke to the man. "No funny business."

He chuckled before nodding understandingly.

Regina rolled her eyes again before pushing Emma out the door and shutting it with a grin.

"Feisty one, isn't she?" Graham asked as he stood by the backdrop.

"Yes," Regina smiled to herself. "I believe she is."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer in Chapter One. **

**AN: Thank you all so much for the great reviews, favourites, and alerts! You are all so awesome :)**

* * *

Regina knocked on Emma's apartment door the following Saturday, a birthday gift clutched firmly in the nook of her arm wrapped precisely in blue wrapping paper with cakes and multicoloured balloons decorating it and a smaller gift bag hanging from her other hand. Judging from the music and loud chatter happening just behind the door, the party was in full motion, and Regina internally cursed New York traffic for making her late. It wasn't by much, but it mattered to Regina.

As soon as the door opened, a blinding flash overtook her vision, and by the time the spots cleared, she looked down to see Henry beaming up at her with a bulky Polaroid hanging from his neck as the still grey picture escaped its cartridge.

"Regina!" He greeted happily as he launched himself on her in a hug. "You came."

She crouched to accommodate him with a smile on her face mimicking his own. "Of course, sweetheart. I wouldn't miss my favourite little man's birthday."

He blushed before remembering the picture in his hand as it cleared to show Regina with widened eyes and parted lips, surprised at the sudden picture. He laughed when he showed it to her. "You look silly."

She gave a playful glare as he continued to laugh before giving in to her own laughter. "I suppose I do, don't I?"

He nodded happily then held up his Polaroid. "Look what my mom got me."

She glanced down at her own present before widening her eyes in appreciation at Henry's gift. "That is a very special gift. You don't see those often anymore."

He nodded again, proud this time, before turning his back to her and pressing his back to her front and pushing their heads together. He extended the camera out in front of them, but the strap around his neck and his short arms prevented him from getting very far.

Regina chuckled to herself before helping him remove the Polaroid then lifted the camera out in front of them.

"Say cheese," Henry nudged her slightly.

"Cheese," she smiled along with Henry as she snapped the picture.

The flash lit up and the camera whirred as the picture was being printed. Henry eagerly reached for the picture eyeing it impatiently for it to load.

Regina ruffled his hair before standing and finally taking in the scene. Streamers hung all over the place in no organized fashion, and Regina chuckled to herself that it was a toss up whether it was Henry or Emma who was tasked with that particular job. A large 'Happy Birthday' sign hung over the windows, and a small pile of gifts was nestled in the corner.

A few adults, Ruby and Ashley being among them, lingered in the kitchen helping themselves to drinks and chips. The source of the noise she had heard earlier was gathered in the living room where Emma was standing in the center surrounded by all the children pathetically attempting to evade their attacks of silly string and confetti. Her own can was useless against the the small army of four children as she gave up trying to attack back and resorted to protecting her face as the rest of her body was covered completely in the yellow, orange, and blue string.

Regina let out a breathy laugh as she took in the sight of the blonde. As if sensing her presence, Emma looked towards the door and created a small opening around her eyes from all the silly string that now formed her into a multicoloured Cousin Itt look alike. She gave a soft smile and a wave before finally pulling the string off her and waded her way through the horde of children who refused to let her escape. Regina watched as she leaned down closer and whispered something to them. The children released her and immediately began swarming around Ruby who was being dragged to the living room with a deadly glare at Emma.

"Interesting tactic," Regina mused as Emma approached them.

"Careful," Emma said with a threatening finger before pulling herself clean of the string. "I could have them on you with just a word."

Regina pulled off a lengthy piece of silly string from behind Emma's ear with an amused raised eyebrow. "Oh, the horror."

Emma laughed before leaning down and pressing her lips on the corner of Regina's mouth. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Me too," Regina answered with a soft smile. She remembered the gift in her hand and looked down to Henry. "If I recall it's somebody's birthday, is it not?"

"Mine!"

Regina handed him the wrapped gift. "Happy birthday, Henry."

In true curious fashion, he shook the box then pouted when nothing sounded inside it. "What is it?"

"You'll find out when you open presents," Emma said giving him a nudge. "What do you say?"

Henry held the small box under his arm before giving Regina another hug around the waist. "Thank you, Regina."

With that, he ran to the small gift pile and placed Regina's gift gently down along with his Polaroid before joining his friends in attacking Ruby.

Regina and Emma watched him play for a bit before Regina held up the small gift bag. "And this is for you."

Emma eyed it curiously. "Did I miss something already?"

She opened it to find her blue blouse, laundered and pressed and smelling just like Regina. Emma chuckled then feigned a surprised face, her hand pressed to her chest. "I love it. How did you know?"

Regina rolled her eyes before pushing the blonde back a few steps as she shrugged out of her coat. Compared to everyone else who was dressed in jeans and tshirts, Regina felt thoroughly overdressed in her simple dress and heels. Her attention was diverted when she felt a hand on the small of her back and Emma's lips near her ear as she whispered. "You look great."

She gave the blonde a smile, her eyes crinkling with its sincerity as she leaned forward an inch to peck the younger woman with gratitude.

Emma grinned down at her before ushering her towards the kitchen and introducing Regina to her friends.

* * *

Regina was impressed with the amount of energy children had. For four hours, she watched as they drained all the cans of silly string dry around most of the adults. She only effectively evaded the attack by pulling Emma in front of her to take nearly all of the impact which earned her a less than amused glare from the woman who had just managed to clean herself up. Even after eating their weight in pizza and pop, they still managed to be as lively as ever with Henry turning his living room into a makeshift soccer field. When Regina saw the mini soccer ball come out, her eyes nearly popped out of her head and she looked towards Emma wondering if the blonde was going to reprimand them. Regina knew if she had pulled that kind of stunt as a child there would have been serious repercussions as a child. But to her surprise, Emma just gave a word not to kick the ball too hard or towards the TV, and the children complied.

It was a different world as Regina came to realize. The clear mess would be cleaned up after the party. There was no one there to be impressed. There were just children enjoying their friend's birthday and friends coming together for a good time.

It was something she could get used to.

"Mom!" Henry ran over to his mother who was pouring herself a drink. "Can we do presents now? Please?"

She nodded with a sip of her drink as Henry celebrated with a fist pump to the air before scampering off to tell his friends it was present time.

"Our gifts may conflict," Regina admitted to Emma quietly as they stood at the back watching as he tore through his first gift - a Captain America shield from Ruby.

"You got him a Polaroid too?" Emma asked skeptically. "You shop on eBay?"

Regina shook her head. "I got him a camera. It's just a small thing."

Emma laughed. "You would." She stepped away to grab a garbage bag and began tossing the ripped and discarded wrapping and tissue paper that Henry was throwing out of his way haphazardly.

Regina sipped her bottle of water when she felt a presence beside her. She looked over to see a scruffy-bearded man, August if she remembered correctly, dressed in all black as he gave her a nod of acknowledgement.

"So you're the girl."

"I'm sorry?"

He extended his hand. "Booth. August W. Booth."

She took his hand politely though her face showed no recognition.

"You're the girl Emma begged me to get my father to give her reservations to his restaurant," August provided.

She took in his leather jacket and and black denim jeans skeptically. "Your father is Marco?"

"Family resemblance is uncanny, huh?" He said with a grin. "I'm also Emma's boss."

"Oh." Regina immediately straightened feeling foolish for not knowing. She would have thought Emma would introduce him as such, but the informalities were ever present. "You have a hard worker, Mr. Booth."

"Emma's a special one," he agreed as they continued to watch Henry open his gifts with Emma having to constantly remind him to say thank you. "She seems to really like you."

"What makes you say that?"

"She hasn't been late to work in six years," he answered. "You must be something special."

"Does it bother you?" Regina asked warily. "I can assure you that'll be the last time."

He laughed at her worry. "Relax. It's nice she's finally doing something other than work and watching her kid."

"It's nice to know she has people looking out for her," Regina agreed watching Emma smile as Henry showed her his new baseball set.

August nodded as he kept his gaze forward but his voice low. "I don't want to see her hurt."

Regina turned at the blatant implication in his voice. She set her jaw as she studied the man. His protectiveness was purely platonic judging from the brotherly way he spoke of Emma and of how he took on a fun uncle role with Henry when he was teaching him and his friends some magic tricks. She inclined her head acknowledging his words.

"Regina!" Henry called interrupting their conversation. He held her gift in his lap as he motioned her toward the spot beside him on the floor.

August saluted her with his cup as she set her water down and made her way to the middle of the living room, kneeling down and resting on her knees to settle beside the nine-year old.

Henry shook his gift one more time but decided tearing into it was the way to go.

"Easy, kid. You'll rip up the gift," Emma teased sidling up beside Regina.

"He's the birthday boy," Regina reasoned. "He can open it however he likes."

"Yeah," Henry agreed, moving closer to Regina to back up their double team.

Emma just shook her head as the final wrappings were thrown away.

"Woah!" Henry held up the small box with a black Samsung digital camera displayed on the front. "No way!"

Regina smiled down at the joy on his face when she felt a puff of air release sharply from behind her.

"You actually got him a real camera," Emma said impressed as she watched her son open the box eagerly. "You didn't have to do that. That must have been expensive."

Regina turned her head to fully look at Emma, swearing that the blonde's tone had a degree of flatness. "It's his birthday." She said obviously. "I know Polaroids are rare to come by."

Emma smiled tightly before nodding. "He loves it."

Sure enough the boy had opened the box and was avidly reading the instruction manual, eager to get the battery charged and to start snapping his own pictures.

Regina locked eyes with Emma, wondering what had made the blonde so uncomfortable. As quick as it came, Emma blinked and her eyes lightened thanking her for the gift before standing and claiming it was cake time.

* * *

It was another hour before the last child was picked up and Henry was hugging August goodbye.

"Thanks for the trades, August."

He ruffled Henry's head. "Anytime." He looked up at Emma and waved. "I'll see you later." He gave a final wave to Regina before shutting the door closed behind him leaving Henry, Emma, and Regina alone in the apartment with the mess to clean up.

Emma dropped on the couch, moving slightly when an Incredible Hulk action figure dug into her hip. "That is the last birthday you're gonna have."

"You say that every year," Henry dismissed as he inspected his haul.

Regina moved some fallen streamers to take a seat beside Emma, their thighs touching as their fingers intertwined in Emma's lap. She leaned over the blonde to pull a dried up piece of silly string from the crown of her head and held it in front of Emma teasingly.

"What?" Emma said offended at the strong and ran her hand through her hair. "I thought I got it all out."

"Your mane of hair seems to be a vortex," Regina quipped.

Henry smirked as he went over to the corner to retrieve the camera battery that was charging and placed it into the device. He purposely set himself in between Regina and Emma, forcing their hands to separate as he nuzzled into the confined space.

"Come here," he ordered as he held the camera up in front of them.

"So demanding," Regina tickled his side.

"Please?" He asked with a pout.

"You're lucky you have good genes," Emma said nestling her head against Henry's as Regina did the same.

Emma's arm came around both Henry and Regina as it nestled protectively on the older woman's shoulder.

It took a few tries before Henry finally succeeded, with only a little bit of Regina and Emma's foreheads cut off this time. He beamed at the screen. "My first picture."

Regina nodded impressed. "You might have a career in it yet."

Emma kissed his temple before ushering him off the couch. "Go put your stuff in your room before you go to Ashley's."

Regina stood as he did with confusion written on her face. "You have work?"

Emma nodded as she began to clear away stray paper plates and cups, finding pizza crusts on the tables.

"On his birthday?" She asked again as she held the garbage bag open for Emma.

"Yeah," the blonde huffed coming up from the floor to clean some crushed chips.

"Wouldn't August have given you the time off?"

"It's the end of the month," Emma reasoned. "Bills." She shrugged.

"Of course," Regina said with a furrowed brow.

They continued cleaning with Regina washing the glass cups and silverware while Emma cut up the pizza boxes and set them aside for the recycle. Emma leaned against the counter beside the sink, nudging Regina with her foot as the brunette glared at her in response.

"I am not a dog that needs poking."

Emma smirked before taking the final glass and placing it in the dish rack and inching herself between Regina and the sink. "I'm really glad you came."

"Henry wanted it," Regina said with a flourish of her head.

"Right, Henry," Emma rolled her eyes playfully. "And if I wanted it?"

"I'm not so sure I would have been able to make an appearance," Regina answered coyly.

Emma shook her head tugging Regina closer to her, her hands wrapping around her waist. "Please?" She mimicked her son's tone.

Regina grinned and leaned her head in, capturing Emma's lips between her own. As her lips moved over soft pink ones, Regina unconsciously leaned further into Emma, which wasn't difficult as the blonde was tugging on her hips until their bodies were pressed firmly against one another's. Regina's fingers traveled around Emma's neck as her arms extended to hang lazily around the blonde's shoulders.

This kiss was different from the other ones they had shared in the past. Where the others were soft and hesitant, the signs of the beginning of a blossoming relationship, this one was passionate and full of desire, needing to soak in one another.

Regina let out a breathy sigh when she felt Emma's tongue gently swipe against Regina's lower lip, and the brunette complied immediately letting Emma explore her. A moan was caught in Regina's throat, but she wasn't able to release it when they heard the sound of a door knob turning, and just in time, they sprang apart, their cheeks flushed and their chests heaving as Henry stepped out of his room.

Regina cleared her throat, gaining composure more quickly than Emma and made her way to Henry making sure all his toys were put away.

* * *

Regina walked Emma down to her car after Henry was settled at Ashley's with hugs for both of them. Their fingers found each other in the light of the slowly descending sun as they approached Emma's car.

"Where did you park?" Emma asked getting out her keys.

Regina motioned down the street where her Benz was still parked miraculously untouched.

"I'll drive you over."

"Because I'm incapable of walking?"

"Because I'm trying to milk the time I'm able to grace you with my presence," Emma answered smartly.

Regina rolled her eyes but didn't argue when she slipped into the beetle. Her expression turned smugly amused when the engine sputtered pathetically as Emma turned the key in the ignition.

"Come on, baby," Emma soothed her bug as she turned the key again. It continued to sputter, but this time her engine backfired loudly sounding much too like a gunshot. "Dammit!" Emma slammed her palm on the dashboard.

Regina remained quiet as Emma got out of the car and lifted her hood. Regina didn't need to be a mechanic to know that the smoke coming out from under the hood was not a good sign, so she stepped out and watched as Emma cleared the air and leaned under the hood to fiddle with the contraptions.

Ten minutes passed, and Regina was all too aware of August's earlier words that Emma had never been late in six years. Without a word, she rifled through her purse to remove her phone and flipped it open to call a tow truck.

"No no no," Emma said quickly stealing the brunette's phone and ending the call. "I don't need a truck."

"Your car won't start," Regina argued insistently before taking back her phone.

"I'll take the subway."

Regina scrunched up her face in disgust. "That is highly unsanitary."

"And breathing in this fresh, non-polluted air is just as good," Emma argued before moving back to the driver's seat and fishing out change from the cup holders. "Seriously. I'll be fine."

Regina marched over to Emma's side and tugged the blonde out of the car.

"Regina-"

"I'm driving you to work." The finality in Regina's tone was nothing to be messed with, but it was Emma after all. She had a tendency to do the opposite of what she was told.

"No you're not."

Regina just kept her grip on Emma while locking the beetle before dragging the blonde down the street. "It looks like you don't have a choice, dear."

* * *

They sat outside the Wooden Whale just before Emma's shift was due to start. Already some early birds were filtering into the bar as the sun had finally made its descent.

Emma glared petulantly at Regina. "You didn't have to drive me."

"What, I can't be nice to you now?"

"It is a little disconcerting," Emma teased before getting out of the car. She was going to stick her head in and bid Regina goodbye but was surprised when the brunette stepped out as well.

"You'll need a ride home," Regina answered the unasked question as she came to stand next to Emma.

"I don't want to have to wake you at three in the morning," Emma attempted to dissuade the brunette.

"Good because I plan on staying awake." With a sway to her hips, Regina sauntered towards the entrance, bypassing the men who lingered near the doors and obviously ignored their wanting stairs as she beckoned Emma to her.

Emma caught up with Regina noting the bar was beginning to crowd, but nothing like it would be later on. Already music rock music was blaring from the speakers and rounds of drinks were being served.

"You're going to stay here all night just to drive me home?" Emma asked skeptically.

"Consider it date number three," Regina said shrugging out of her coat and thrusting it along with her purse into Emma's arms. "Keep those safe."

Emma eyed her as she took a seat by the counter, and when she properly deduced that Regina was not leaving, she hopped on the counter and turned to quickly deposit the belongings into her locker. Emma would be lying if she said she wasn't attempting to impress the brunette, so she pulled on her cut offs and ripped tank, slipped on her boots, and added a cowboy hat for a last minute effect.

The way Regina's eyes raked up and down her body as she returned from the back was worth it, and she decided she liked having Regina there.

* * *

It was a moderate pace for the first hour with Emma making time to stop by Regina every so often to refill her drink of ginger ale with lime. Emma had tried slipping her a shot after her first and only apple martini, but the brunette reminded her she was driving for the evening. Emma subtly offered that she could drive them home, but the glare she received from even thinking about driving Regina's Mercedes let her know that option was not even on the table.

As the night went on, Emma continued to tend the bar while swirling bottles around her. More than once did she light a row of shots on fire smirking internally at the way Regina looked completely aghast at the spectacle, but Emma could see the underlying intrigue there. When she stepped onto the counter, she danced and flirted, earning bills and swaying her hips to the beat of the music. By the end of her song, Emma sauntered over to Regina who looked up at her unamused for fiddling with a man's tie and promptly placed the cowboy hat on Regina's head. She winked at the older woman causing the crowd to howl at the show. Emma caught Regina's eye roll, but she also noticed the blush on her olive skin and the very obvious fact that she hadn't removed the hat.

* * *

Regina leaned against the wall of the bar at quarter to three, her coat firmly cinched around her waist, her purse protected under her arm, and Emma's hat still lodged on her head. She waited as patiently as she could for Emma to lock up, but every so often her eyes would droop close and her head would nod off. She snapped to attention when she realized she had almost fallen asleep standing up and looked around to see if anyone had noticed before repeating the process again.

When her eyes dropped shut a third time, it was a gentle tug that woke her. Emma stood in front of her with an apologetic frown on her face.

Regina shook her head quickly. "I'm fine."

"I can drive?" Emma offered meekly. "Or call a cab."

"Don't be foolish," Regina dismissed and pushed off from the wall. "Come on. I know a sleeping little boy who will be happy to see you."

True to her word Regina remained alert on their drive back to Emma's apartment. Though her mind obeyed the rules of the road, she couldn't help but notice how Emma seemed more than fine. She recalled seeing Emma during the day and deeply wondered when the younger woman slept. Mother had always said that her beauty sleep would be her key to success, and even as a child enforced her with a strict bedtime that Regina only broke due to her sporadic lifestyle as a photographer. Regardless, she was impressed and more than a little worried that Emma was spending at least twenty of her twenty-four day awake and mobile.

"Come up," Emma said as she slipped out of the Benz.

"The third date rule applies even now?" Regina teased though the tiredness in her voice was evident.

Emma smirked and wrapped an arm around Regina's shoulder. "That could be arranged, but I'm pretty sure you'd fall asleep on me."

Regina couldn't suppress the yawn that escaped her mouth. She did her best to cover her mouth, but it just felt too good. "You must not be very good then."

Emma chuckled as she half-carried the older woman up the stairs straight to her apartment.

Regina felt the cowboy hat leave her head and the thin cushions of the couch beneath her legs, springs digging into her thighs, as the comforting warmth from Emma disappeared. By the time she finally realized she was lying on her couch, Emma quietly crept in with a thoroughly knocked out Henry, shutting the door behind her with a foot, before slipping into the boy's bedroom and placing him in his bed. Regina was about to sit up to help, but in no time at all, Emma emerged from his room and quickly made her way toward the couch, nestling in beside Regina.

The brunette tried to wiggle out of her grasp, but Emma held her close. "I should get going."

"You're tired," Emma argued. "It's late. You have a tendency to get lost. Stay the night. I'll keep my hands to myself."

Regina huffed, unable to deny the fatigue that was settling in before finally wiggling free and stripping herself of her coat and heels. She settled back down into Emma's side, hesitant to wrap around Emma. It had been a long time since she had a stable relationship, and the protocol for cuddling wasn't exactly fresh in her mind.

Emma took Regina's hand and pulled it around her middle, letting the older woman rest her head against her chest.

It was a few minutes of comfortable silence where both women suspected the other had fallen asleep, but it was Emma clearing her throat indicating she was just as awake as Regina.

"When do you sleep?" Regina asked suddenly, her voice a soft timbre in the early hours.

"Now." Even in her half awake state Regina could tell Emma was over exaggerating the tiredness in her tone.

The brunette scoffed lightly at Emma's answer, pressing firmly against her in order to get a proper answer.

Emma shrugged. "You get used to it. I catch a few hours now and after I drop Henry off."

Regina mulled over her words. "Have you ever considered a different field of work?"

Underneath Regina, she could feel Emma tense ever so slightly. She remained rigid as she gave her answer. "I can't do anything else," she admitted quietly. "I barely got through high school and college was never an option." She let out a long breathy sigh releasing the tension from her body. "I was a mess until I found out about Henry."

"The father?"

"Not in the picture," Emma answered tersely.

Regina nodded, and despite wanting to push she refrained. She lifted her head to meet the green-blue gaze of the younger woman's in the moonlight. "What about going to school now? Take some business classes for your bar."

Emma chuckled dryly. "So they can teach me what I already know how to do? I don't need a degree to get a lease."

"It doesn't hurt to have one," Regina offered.

"It doesn't work out like that for people like me," Emma said soothingly. "I don't go to school, I do trades and hard labour for people like-"

"Me." Regina finished for her sitting up from the blonde entirely.

"Not exactly the words I was looking for," Emma muttered.

"Then what were you looking for?"

"Nothing, it's just-" Emma huffed and sat up, bringing her knees up to rest her elbows on them. The space between both women grew as Regina moved to the other side of the couch. "Yeah, growing up, I had to learn pretty quickly that some people are more privileged than others. Some people were smarter or more athletic or had more money. Some people can just buy whatever they want and damn the consequences while others had to learn how to deal with how to keep something that's broken."

Regina remained quiet as Emma looked up at her and continued. "I'm one of those people who have to keep around broken things and who need to work back to back shifts if they want something nice."

Regina furrowed her brow as she watched Emma clutch her knees tighter to her chest. "Are you upset about my present to Henry?"

The blonde sighed, but it was all Regina needed to know she was right. "No, he really does love it."

"He loves yours as well," Regina pointed out.

Emma slipped her legs down so she sat cross-legged on the couch and looked directly at Regina. "I know. It's just, I'm trying to teach my kid the value of a dollar, and I don't want to spoil him into thinking he can get whatever he wants if he just asks the right person."

She tucked her knees back up to her chest again, and Regina could see the conflict behind jade eyes. Regina sighed. Perhaps her gift had been a bit much for a nine-year old, and there was always an unspoken rule never to get something better than the parent. She swallowed hard and leaned over placing her palm over Emma's where they were clasped around her legs.

"I'm sorry." She said sincerely. "I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries."

Emma shook her head. "No, no, forget I said any of that. We're breaching into deep stuff again for date number three and I haven't even asked you to be my girlfriend yet."

Regina raised an eyebrow while Emma parted her lips in a total foolhardy manner. She contemplated briefly continuing their conversation, but it was past three in the morning, and Emma had no intention of keeping up with the subject, so naturally she chose to tease the blonde at her slip up. Crawling her way over to Emma until she was seated directly in front of her, she leaned over the blonde's raised knees and smirked. "You want me to be your girlfriend?"

Emma cringed embarrassed. "Can you forget that too?"

Regina shook her head. "Pick one."

Emma tilted her head to the side thoroughly contemplating which was the lesser of two evils, and decided embarrassment was the way to go when she nodded her head. "Yeah, I mean, Henry wants it."

"Henry?" Regina asked amused tugging Emma's hands free and pushing apart her knees to settle in between them. "Perhaps I should be discussing this with him."

She grinned wickedly when Emma's ears turned red and she swallowed thickly, locking their gaze as she leaned fully against the blonde. She feigned a yawn that had unfortunately turned into a real one. "If you're going to ask me then I suggest you do it before I fall asleep or die from old age."

"Did anyone ever tell you you're bossy?" Emma narrowed her eyes petulantly.

Regina simply shrugged noncommittally before finally settling down with her face mere inches away from Emma's.

The blonde averted her gaze for a long time until Regina tugged her chin forcing her to look.

Emma swallowed again before muttering. "Want to go out?"

Regina laughed lightly. "Those would be dates. This is a more personal matter."

"Patience is a virtue."

"Not one that I possess. It isn't that hard to say 'will you be my girlfriend'."

The words were barely out of her mouth before she felt Emma's full lips on hers. Her hands automatically weaved around Emma's neck as she returned the kiss only for the blonde to pull back a second later.

"Yes," she grinned smugly. "Thought you'd never ask."

Regina glared then rolled her eyes before standing up and moving off the blonde. She headed straight for Emma's room as she called over her shoulder. "There is no way in hell I am sleeping on a couch."

Emma chuckled to herself feeling especially light and relieved as she followed Regina into the room and shut the door behind her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer in Chapter One.**

**AN: Thank you so much for the fabulous reviews, alerts, and favourites! Maleficent will be back in this one, and insecure Emma makes an appearance. I hope you guys enjoy! And for those of you wondering, I'm going down with this ship. **

* * *

An errant spring dug into Regina's hip and the sound of a firetruck wailed loudly in the distance just outside the window. It took her a moment to clear her head and realize that she was not in her queen size bed back in her condo and was in fact in Emma's double bed with scratchy sheets and a heavily sleeping blonde curled around her. Small sacrifices, she supposed with a soft smile on her face.

Emma had clung to her in her sleep, the blonde's right hand had slid under Regina's body to wrap around her stomach while her left was approaching dangerous territory and bordered on cupping her breast. She couldn't help but notice her own left hand had found solace over top Emma's right and made no immediate moves to remove it. Instead, she turned slowly in Emma's arm, smirking at the younger woman's parted lips and smooth features.

A sudden snort was released from the blonde and she lifted her head up suddenly taking in her surroundings confusedly. Regina raised an eyebrow watching Emma's movements, and when Emma smiled lazily, jade eyes still hidden behind barely open lids, and dropped her head back down on the pillow, Regina laughed.

"Go back to bed," Emma muttered into her pillow, her arm snaking around Regina's waist pulling the brunette into her side.

"Or else what?"

Emma lifted her head again, this time looking down at Regina from the result of pulling her close. She smirked and used her free hand to rake a few fingers through her hair. "I'll make you."

Regina's hands had wandered up from Emma's wrists up toned arms to rest on her shoulders. "How do you plan on doing that?"

She wasn't surprised when their lips met in a heated kiss. Already she was becoming accustomed to the feel of Emma's tongue moving languidly in her mouth, tasting every crevice and finding little spots that made Regina moan. On their own accord, one hand tangled in Emma's wild hair, mussed from slip, while the other pressed heavily along the blonde's spine until it rested on her lower back, pulling Emma further onto her.

It had been too long since she had felt a burning desire for someone, too long since she had wanted someone's lips on hers in any way offered. Past relationships had always had her mother's stamp of approval, and only one relationship had her feeling the fluttering of butterflies and the light heartedness in her chest, but that had taken a turn for the worse. Ever since then Regina had always kept herself closed off, thriving on dates that didn't make it past the first night, but Emma was different. Her confidence didn't come from her family name or the size of her bank account; it came from something that was entirely Emma.

She felt the blonde's confidence as Emma kept a hand on Regina's hip, her fingers dancing on the edge of her blouse enough to entice and tease. She felt it as Emma pulled back for just a second to smile down at Regina before connecting their lips again. She most certainly felt it when the blonde's hand tangled their legs together and her knee had unintentionally positioned itself in between Regina's legs, an inch away from the brunette's center.

As soon as it connected, Regina pulled back, easing Emma with a soft kiss before trailing her hand up from her back to cup the younger woman's face. Their breaths mingled in the space between them, and Regina knew Emma was confused by her sudden pull away but quickly assuaged the blonde's confusion with another quick peck before sitting up in the bed, the iron bed frame rattling behind her back as the mattress squeaked. "As much as I'd love to continue, I think this can wait for a time when your son isn't in the living room watching cartoons."

Sure enough, the sounds of the Justice League Unlimited theme song sounded just outside the bedroom door. Emma bowed her head and sighed before nodding, rolling off Regina entirely. "Good morning, by the way."

"I'd say so," the brunette grinned lecherously watching as Emma rolled back onto her stomach and let her eyes fall close.

They suddenly snapped open when Emma pushed herself up looking embarrassed. "Shit. Breakfast. You'll probably want that."

"You can go back to sleep," Regina said sliding out of bed and using the freestanding floor length mirror leaning on Emma's wall to check her hair. "Henry..."

"It's fine," Emma assured as she dug through her closet to pull on some yoga pants.

Regina took a moment to glance at Emma's legs trying to remember when the bartender had slipped her pants off during the night.

"Ruby sleeps over sometimes," Emma explained. She turned when Regina glared at her, feeling the intensity of the stare from behind. "Just to sleep. She hates the couch."

"If you say so," Regina said dryly though her eyes remained unconvinced.

Emma walked over to her giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Breakfast?"

Regina was unsurprised to find that breakfast consisted of cereal, though how tiny marshmallows and an unnatural amount of chocolate milk instead of white milk constituted as breakfast she'd never know, but she enjoyed watching as Emma opened a cupboard to pull down three bowls, all mismatched, and handed them to Henry who immediately set them down on the small breakfast table. Regina, being their guest as Henry so adorably put it, was not allowed to lift a finger, not even to help carry the full jug of chocolate milk from the fridge to the table. She grinned as the nine-year old poured the cereal and kneeled on the chair to lift the jug in both hands. His furrowed face was so concentrated he hadn't noticed that Emma had sidled up behind him to use a finger to help tilt the jug up from the bottom, but Regina caught the action, smirking at the gesture.

She was surprised, however, when they took their bowls to the couch beckoning Regina to follow. She looked uncertain with her large bowl of Lucky Charms in her hands as Emma and Henry sat on the couch, both cross-legged and both bringing a spoon of cereal up to their lips. It was only when Emma looked up from her slurping and let her spoon drop into her bowl did she pat the space beside her.

Sighing, Regina sat, unsure how exactly to sit with a bowl filled nearly to the brim of chocolate milk. Henry had been quite generous with his helping of her breakfast seeing as she was a guest, but the gesture made it difficult to move without spilling, and gods knew Regina would not like to have a stain anywhere on her clothes or on the furniture.

So Regina brought the bowl to her lips, sipping as much as she could until the milk level had gone down to an appropriate volume. Already she could feel her teeth decay from the chocolate and sugar combination, but she smiled when Henry asked how her breakfast was.

They sat and continued watching Henry's cartoons, the first season of JLU which he had received as a gift yesterday. Regina never took much of an interest in comics as a child, her mother preferring she stick with canonical texts, but her father used to always read her fairy tales whenever he could. It was their little secret. Henry, however, was shocked to hear such a thing and made it his duty to educate the brunette on the ins and outs of the DC universe.

For a child who had barely lived for a decade, his knowledge of superheroes, comics, and its backstory was impressively extensive, and Regina found herself enthralled in the fantastical universe. Already she had found herself finding Huntress, or rather Helena Bertinelli, to be one of her more favoured characters, but Emma had disagreed claiming Black Canary was the best and had a better costume.

Henry had laughed and shook his head knowingly as the cartoon continued playing, their empty bowls nestled in their laps as Emma and Henry both snuggled into Regina's side.

By the time the fourth episode finished, Emma reached over tugging Henry up from his spot on the couch. "Come on, kid. Brush your teeth now, it's past ten."

"What?" Regina asked shocked before looking down at her watch to see it was, in fact, half past. "Shoot, I have to get going."

"Hot date?" Emma teased.

"You're going now?" Henry whined halfway to the washroom.

She gathered her coat in her arms before moving around the couch to crouch in front of Henry with an apologetic frown on her face. "I do, but I wish I didn't."

She truly meant it knowing already being late was going to put her on the receiving end of a lecture.

She opened her arms for his hug, wrapping tightly around him. "Thank you for inviting me to your party."

"Thank you for coming," he responded politely, releasing his grip on her allowing her to stand.

She turned when she felt Emma place the cowboy hat on her head. "Looks better on you," Emma explained.

Regina rolled her eyes playfully, waving when Henry disappeared into the washroom before walking slowly towards the door with Emma's hand on her lower back.

"Busy day?" Emma inquired when they stopped short of the door, her hand trailing to Regina's hip.

"An important appointment, you could say," Regina answered with a shrug of her shoulder.

"Good luck."

Regina gave a small smile before meeting the blonde halfway for a kiss that lingered a little too long though neither women were complaining about that.

"Wait!" Henry ran out of the washroom, not noticing how the two women sprang abruptly apart, with toothpaste foam on the edges of his mouth.

"Henry," Emma winced at her son as he ran into his room, noise and clutter following in his wake, before exiting and running up to his mother and Regina.

He wiped the foam on the sleeve of his pyjamas before holding up one of his Polaroids to Regina. "You can have this one."

Regina took the picture, a wide smile on her face when she saw it was the one of herself and Henry. "I couldn't take this-"

"We'll take more," the boy promised, rocking on the balls of his heels.

His response was simple, obvious in his mind, but to Regina it had struck a chord in her chest, a chord that had never been strum before. She bent down again engulfing him in a hug.

"Why do I get the feeling you like him more than me?" Emma asked crossing her arms with a pout.

Regina grinned, keeping a tight hold on the photograph before straightening. "Because I do."

"Then you're grounded," Emma pointed menacingly to Henry who rolled his eyes at his mother before returning to the living room and his cartoons.

Regina tucked the picture into her pocket, keeping her hand in there for extra reassurance before leaning over and pecking Emma's cheek. "You come a very close second though."

"I better."

* * *

"You're late."

Regina refrained from muttering any excuses as she sat down at the restaurant table for brunch. She knew her mother wouldn't appreciate them and simply nodded her head in shame. "I'm sorry, Mother."

She tensed under Cora's scrutinizing gaze, no doubt taking in the fact that her daughter's clothing looked previously worn and her face nearly make-up free. Regina gulped praying her mother wouldn't comment. She hadn't had time to stop at her home to change or shower and simply made due with the make-up in her purse and a quick press of her clothes with the flat of her hand. She was lucky the dress was a clingy material, but it didn't hide the smell of alcohol from sitting in a bar for nearly six hours. If Cora had noticed she didn't say it, and for that, Regina was relieved. The last thing she wanted was to explain her personal life to her mother.

"Where were you?"

Regina distracted herself by picking up her menu though the move was useless knowing her motherr would have already ordered her a garden salad.

"I lost track of time." Regina made the obligatory eye contact when addressing her mother, and her response wasn't technically a lie.

"Doing what, dear? How much effort could be put into pushing a button on a camera?" Cora asked bringing a glass of wine to her lips.

"It's more than just pushing a button, Mother," Regina insisted on deaf ears.

Cora leaned over and pulled Regina's menu down, shutting it and passing it to a waiter with his arms full of dishes. "I already ordered for you since you kept me waiting."

Regina nodded appreciatively before tucking her hair behind her ear.

"So, dear," Cora began excitedly. "You'll never guess who I ran into the other day."

"Who?" Regina asked taking a healthy sip of wine.

"The Jones." Regina's face remained neutral as she showed no recognition of the name making Cora sigh at her daughter's inadequacy. "Their family has trades for some of the finest gold and jewels in the world."

"Do you mean they mine it from third world countries?" Regina asked sharply.

Cora glared, her eyes narrowing to threatening slits. Regina held her mother's gaze, her face impassive, but her mind mentally preparing her body for any lashing, verbal or otherwise, she would receive. She breathed out quietly when it didn't come as their salads arrived at the table.

Cora leaned over the table to take Regina's hand in hers, the freshly manicured nails of her mother digging into Regina's wrist as Cora smiled affectionately. "Their son is in town. Remember how you used to get along as children? Perhaps you should invite him to one of your events."

Regina remembered him all right. Killian Jones. His wealth was as notorious as his libido. She wouldn't deny his attractiveness, but the man was absolutely foul and utter slime. Even growing up, he had attempted a few moves on Regina, but she never gave him the chance, and she damn sure was not going to give him one now.

"I highly doubt a man of his stature and interests would like to go to a gallery," Regina attempted to dissuade, the stinging bite of her mother's nails pushed to the back of her mind.

"It wasn't a suggestion, Regina." Cora finally released her grip on her daughter's wrist and stabbed an olive fiercely before popping it in her mouth. "You two make a lovely couple."

Regina remained focus on her salad, piercing leafs of lettuce with an unnecessary force. "I'm afraid I can't."

"Why?" Cora's tone was low and dangerous.

Regina chanced a glance up at her mother, pulling her hands into her lap to prevent Cora from seeing her fidget. "The next gallery I'll be attending is a dear friend's, and I'm afraid I've already extended my plus one to somebody else."

"Tell them you cancel."

"I can't cancel, Mother," Regina argued. "How would that look on our family name if we were unreliable and dishonest?"

It was a long shot, Regina knew, manipulating her mother like this, but too many times had Cora played matchmaker, and too many times Regina had had to fend off men who couldn't take no for an answer. It was a long moment of locked brown gazes before Cora finally turned her head and inclined it ever so softly. "We can't have that, now can we?"

"No, Mother." Regina tried her best to keep the relief and smile out of her voice.

"Regardless," Cora dismissed with a wave of her hand, summoning a waiter to take away the salad she had barely touched. "I've invited them over for dinner at the end of next month and I expect to see you there."

Regina repressed the urge to eye roll before nodding dutifully. "Yes, Mother."

* * *

Emma was awoken suddenly by the constant ringing of her cellphone two days later. It was midday and the blonde had opted on taking a nap before picking up Henry. She had gotten an hour's worth of sleep before her ringtone blared near her ear.

She wiped her face clear of sleep before picking up her phone, smiling at the caller ID. "Hey, stranger."

"Hello," Regina said politely into the phone.

Emma squinted at her tone and sat up. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Regina answered in that same aloof way.

"Is something bothering you?" Emma clarified as she stood from her bed and made her way to the kitchen. The silence on the other end had Emma worried, but she had a sense that the brunette was thinking. "Regina?"

"I have to ask you something."

"Okay." Emma cradled her phone in between her shoulder and ear as she scoured her fridge for some leftovers. She found half a sub and promptly sat on the counter, biting into it.

"A friend of mine is having a showing next Friday, and I was wondering if you could accompany me."

Emma slid off the counter and walked over to her calendar hanging on the wall beside the close that held her schedule.

"I realize it's short notice, but there is a good possibility that my mother has mentioned it to a particular person, and-"

"You want me there?" Emma cut her off, her finger on the circled day indicating she'd have to work.

"Very much so," Regina admitted abashedly. "I'm sure you'll enjoy the gallery as well, I just-"

"Regina," Emma smirked into the phone cutting the brunette off again. "I get it. And warding off unwanted attention is sort of in my job description now."

Emma didn't have to see her to know the brunette was either smiling or rolling her eyes. Hopefully both.

"You'll come?" Regina clarified.

Emma took another glance at her marked calendar and decided one day couldn't hurt. "Of course."

She moved back to the kitchen, picking up her sandwich again and pulled herself onto the counter. "So who are we trying to avoid?"

"An old friend of the family," Regina dismissed. "He's nothing serious."

Emma swallowed a big bite, suddenly tense. "Is he an ex?"

"God, no." The scoff in Regina's voice had Emma relaxing. "Just a pest."

"I'll take care of him," Emma reassured her, tossing the wrapping of the sandwich into the garbage bin under the sink.

"Just like you took care of Graham?"

"He didn't try anything, did he?" Emma reminded her smugly.

"No, dear," Regina answered flatly. "You gave him a piece of your mind."

Emma laughed letting her legs kick the counter. "This thing is formal?"

"Yes."

"Okay," Emma nodded slipping off the counter again and rifling through her clothes in the closet. "How formal? Like going to a wedding dress? Son's high school graduation dress?"

"Like a prestigious opening gallery dress."

"Well my prestigious opening gallery dress is at the dry cleaners." Emma huffed hair out of her face before moving to her bedroom closet hoping to find luck there. "I'll find something. Don't worry."

There was a beat of silence before Regina finally responded.

"Thank you."

* * *

Emma had arrived to Regina's early with a borrowed dress from Ruby and a borrowed pair of heels from Ashley who claimed she would never be fitting in those again after having Alexandra. She had successfully traded her shift for a day one and had rushed out from that shift to quickly get Henry dinner and drop him off, but Regina didn't have to know that. She knew Regina was already in a stressful state with her friend's gallery, and she had no idea why. I mean, didn't she go to these for a living?

So she tried to help by arriving at her condo early, smiling politely at the red-headed, good natured front desk man she had gotten accustomed to seeing every time she swung by. She had even struck up a conversation once or twice with Archie as she waited for Regina in the lobby and was pleasantly surprised to find that one did not need to have a Hamptons bank account to work here.

This time she would not be waiting with her new friend. She had gone straight to Regina's and knocked purposefully on the door. She shifted from foot to foot waiting for it to open when she received a text telling her to come in. She opened the door and stepped in, expecting Regina to be tinkering with some last minute adjustments on herself that didn't need tinkering, but the brunette was nowhere in sight.

"Regina?" Emma called, placing her clutch on the table and slipping out of her heels. They looked great on her, but she'd be damned if she didn't have to wear them right this second.

She wandered the front foyer, absentmindedly strolling past the black and white forest printed walls and the black leather sofa. The art on her walls were all paintings that Regina had told her she had purchased at auctions. Emma tilted her head at a particular one that was nothing more than a vertical stripe down the canvas and wondered what the hell was so impressive with that.

Truth be told, Emma would never have guessed Regina, or anyone for that matter, lived there. The place was too orderly and perfect like a model home. The stainless steel kitchen reflected with the black marble countertop and the bare fridge was a stark contrast to the one at her own home filled with pictures and tests. She only knew Regina lived there because she knew the woman and for the simple fact that her glasses were perched neatly on a strategically placed pile of books on her coffee table, but even that effect looked rather planned.

"Come upstairs," Regina called.

Emma made her way to the glass staircase reinforced with steel. She looked at it warily and hesitantly stepped on it finding it to hold her weight. She made a mental note to never jump on these stairs, though she doubt Regina would allow such a behaviour before slowly making her way up the stairs, subconsciously keeping to the edge of the stair as she walked before arriving in an open bedroom.

The arrival was almost jarring seeing as it was a platform upstairs that contained Regina's massive bed with dresses laying on it, but she supposed a one-bedroom apartment didn't need a door when you had a walk-in closet and master suite bathroom.

"Regina?" Emma called again.

The brunette exited her closet wearing nothing but a strapless bra and matching panties. Emma gulped and blatantly stared.

"Which one?" Regina held up two dresses, one a long black dress with a single strap across the shoulder and the other a burgundy dress with a single long zipper down the centre of it.

The dresses partially hid her body from view, but it was enough to have Emma clear her mind and think rationally and not just think about which she wanted to tear off.

"This one is too businessy," Emma said pointing to the burgundy.

"So the black one." Regina held the long dress up to her body as she turned to look in her mirror.

Emma's eyes zeroed in on Regina's ass, curved and deliciously accentuated by the very thin piece of material meant to cover it but barely doing its job, and for that she was grateful. These were the times Emma was grateful she wasn't a man or the evidence of her arousal would have been awkward.

"Not the black one, I'm wearing black," Emma said motioning to herself when she finally remembered her voice. "We can't look like we're going to a funeral."

"Then what do you suggest?" Regina huffed tossing the garment aside and placing her hands on her hips.

Emma both wished she wouldn't have done that and was simultaneously thankful for the view. She couldn't stop her eyes from wandering, and frankly she didn't want to. So instead, she grinned lightly and approached Regina, easing her hands away from her hips and pulling them around her own. "Have I said hi yet?"

"I have to get ready," Regina said pointedly attempting to turn back into her closet.

Before she could move, Emma cupped her cheeks and leaned down capturing the brunette's lips. She grinned at the familiar feeling, smirking internally when Regina pressed closer to her.

"I have a better idea," Emma whispered moving her kisses from Regina's lips to along her jaw. Her tongue danced along the shell of the older woman's before it flicked lightly with Emma pressing a kiss to it. "I say we just stay here," Emma continued breathily, peppering kisses down Regina's neck, pleased when she released a breathy shudder.

It was Regina who pulled Emma's chin back toward her to reclaim their lips, but Emma was surprised when the older woman's hands moved from their spot around Emma's waist and clutched possessively around the back of Emma's neck. Emma's hands found purchase on Regina's ass as she pulled her closer to her by the handful, moaning when Regina stood on her tippy toes to gain an equal height. The move surprised Emma, and in favour of keeping Regina tightly in her grasp, she fell backwards onto the bed as Regina moved her lips from Emma's down to her slender neck, unfazed by their new position.

Emma was loathed to let go of Regina's ass that was just too damn enticing, but she managed to pull at least one hand away to weave it into brown locks. She tugged, revelling in the moan vibrating against Regina's throat as she pulled the older woman back to suck on her pulse point, loving the vibration as she purred softly in contentment. Pulling back with a loud pop, she barely cared about the mark she left in her wake before trailing down Regina's collarbone and kissing the top of her breasts. A good tug would have set them free, but Emma found she was out of options to do so as her left hand was preoccupied on Regina's well-endowed asset while her left was tangled furiously in cropped hair. Using her face would have to do.

She leaned down more to free Regina's breasts from their restraints, but a firm hand brought her chin up, and soon enough, she was facing a heavily panting woman with very dilated eyes.

Emma pouted when she turned her head to kiss Regina again, but the brunette reared back up and grinned.

"Hi," Regina said pointedly.

"Hi," Emma grinned leaning up ready to rectify this distance situation Regina had put between them.

She was out of luck when the brunette pressed a firm peck against her lips and moved off Emma completely, leaving the blonde pinned to the bed as if a force were weighing her down.

"I have to get ready," Regina insisted as she disappeared into her closet.

Emma shut her eyes and clenched her legs shut. The ache that had grown there in the last ten minutes alone very desperately called for attention, but the most the blonde could do was bite into her fist and squeeze her legs shut, breathing in and out deeply, trying desperately to push the image of a nearly naked Regina straddling her out of her mind. It wouldn't go, so Emma shrugged deciding it could stay there.

As she sat up, something on the nightstand caught her attention. It was the picture of a good-looking man with a little girl in his lap as they sat under an apple tree, both smiling from ear to ear. Emma smiled to herself as she lifted the picture up to examine it more closely. If she was right, Regina couldn't have been more than six in this photograph, and seeing that smile on her face, one that had even been directed at her or Henry more and more as they continued to see each other, made Emma feel the familiar tugs in her chest pull happily in haphazard directions. It wasn't until she put the frame back did she notice a smaller frame beside it, and Emma couldn't help but laugh lightly at the Polaroid Henry had insisted Regina take with her.

"I was right," Emma called out holding up the small frame when Regina exited the closet in a sea foam green floor length dress. The straps criss-crossed around her neck leaving her shoulders bare.

"About?" Regina asked as she fluffed out her hair, frowning at the purple mark on her neck.

"You only dated me to get to Henry, didn't you?" Emma teased putting the frame back.

"Well, he is more well-mannered," Regina quipped as she hid the mark with make-up before putting on a healthy amount of lipstick.

"Nice dress," Emma said appreciative as she sidled up behind the brunette.

Regina turned giving Emma's own outfit a once over, the knee-length black dress with a red strip down the side and the smoky make up gave the blonde an air of mystery. Regina grinned wickedly. "You'll do nicely."

Emma couldn't stop the pleased grin from forming on her face before offering her hand to the brunette. "Ready?"

* * *

This was not the gallery she had expected, Emma thought as the town car Regina had ordered pulled up to a lavish mansion with photographers, a red carpet, and a bouncer out front. It seemed like more of a party than a gallery, and Emma suddenly felt more than a little overwhelmed. She turned to Regina who was looking at a compact to touch up her make-up. "I thought this was going to be in a studio."

"Why'd you think that?" Regina asked as she snapped her compact shut and dropped it into her purse.

Emma gave a weak smile before turning at the sound of the door opening for them. She accepted the extended hand and slid out of the car then turned to help Regina out. As soon as she was by her side, Emma felt the change of demeanour in the older woman as Regina tugged Emma's elbow to lead them past the bouncer who checked her name off his clipboard. The yells of "Ms. Mills!" from the reporters sounded as Regina expertly turned them when they got to the top of the steps and took Emma's waist as flashes blinded the blonde's vision.

Emma could barely comprehend the last two minutes when Regina finally tugged them inside the mansion where music blared and people mingled.

"That was..." Emma paused looking for a word. "That's never happened to me before."

"Jefferson has a flair for the dramatics," Regina admitted. "His work is very avant garde, as is his home."

Emma took a moment to look around the room. If she didn't know any better she would have sworn she was in some sort of club, granted one that was designed by a colourful Tim Burton, as she took in the twisted furniture and floor to ceiling aquariums with fish she was sure was genetically mutated. "He lives here?"

"When he's in town," Regina nodded and grabbed two flutes, one a neon pink and the other a neon green. She handed one to Emma. "Drink. He's a little eccentric."

Emma eagerly accepted the neon green champagne glass and chugged its contents. Working at her bar and raising a nine-year old, Emma thought she had seen it all, but from the bartenders dressed in silver leather to the guests with hair to match the colour of her glass, Emma decided she must have fallen into the rabbit hole sometime between now and the drive from Regina's.

* * *

Emma found the photos that Jefferson had taken but had yet to have the pleasure to meet the man. She had wandered off when Regina had gotten caught up in a discussion with some fancy looking people who were apparently company directors and loved Regina's work. Emma had gone through two glasses of neon coloured champagne before she finally put a hand on Regina's back and whispered that she was just going to look around. Away from the music and from the crowd, a spacious room was opened up and lined with photographs of some twisted interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. The room also held the costumes featured in the photos, designed intricately by Jefferson himself, encased behind glass shelves on mannequins with eerie likability to the models of the pictures.

She stared at a particular one under the glow of a flood light of the infamous tea party scene. The models had painted faces of mice or rabbits with Alice and the Hatter sitting at the head, all in various stages of undress and inebriation. It bordered on looking like an orgy. She rolled her eyes at the photograph at the obvious sexualization of it all and scoffed.

"Don't like it?"

A curly haired blonde woman, one who looked familiar, came up behind her, whispering the question in her ear.

Emma jumped at the voice and turned, squinting her eyes at the taller woman with teased hair and a tight red leather dress over top her fish nets.

"Maleficent," she introduced. "We've met before."

"Right," Emma nodded quickly shaking her hand.

"I'm surprised to see you again," Maleficent tilted her head and locked gazes with Emma. "I would have thought Regina would have had you arrested for interrupting her gallery."

"She invited me, actually," Emma pointed out growing increasingly annoyed with her. She thought back to what Regina had said about her and was glad that she had only called Maleficent barely a friend. Regina couldn't be too mad if Emma accidentally punched her in the face.

"Really?" Her eyes widened and lightened with intrigue as she took a step closer, her hand on Emma's bare arm. "You came together?"

Before Emma could answer another voice behind her interrupted, this one a man's. "Are you surprised, Maleficent? Regina has quite the taste."

Emma turned to find a man dressed in a suit, his jacket forgone leaving him in his vest and ascot. The oversized top hat on his head was a little disconcerting, but he removed it as he approached, a practised grin on his face. "You must be Emma Swan. I'm Jefferson."

He took her hand and kissed it, but Emma only let out a breathy laugh before pulling it back toward herself. She took in the man, the owner of this eccentric house and the designer of this twisted up gallery. Aside from the hat, he looked relatively normal though the suit looked a little too thirties, yet his voice was low and polite. Quite frankly, she was expecting Chris Tucker from Fifth Element.

"Yeah," Emma nodded. "That's me."

"Emma here was just admiring your work," Maleficent spoke up. "Weren't you, dear?"

"Yeah, your photos are interesting," Emma confirmed.

Jefferson's lips twitched upwards. "Interesting?"

Emma looked behind her to the wall lined with photographs. They were interesting. Did she like them? Not really. They bordered on creepy and from the imagination of a man, which clearly was the case. Still, she didn't want to embarrass Regina and smiled politely. "Yeah. Interesting."

"What about them?" Maleficent questioned.

Emma motioned to the tea party scene behind them. "I don't see much of Wonderland in this one. It just looks like a college frat party at Halloween, and it's interesting that you're exploring the rabbit hole as falling into modern day vice."

Jefferson tilted his head giving an impressed shrug in Emma's direction with Maleficent as if the smaller blonde couldn't see their actions. It made Emma grind her teeth at that. Thank god she had gotten adept at bullshitting excuses as a teen since the words that had just come out of her mouth were dripping in them.

"Jefferson," Regina called out with a smile as she approached the group.

He turned to lean down and kiss her cheek as she gave Maleficent a questioning glare before standing beside Emma. "I see you've met Ms. Swan."

"I have. Her opinions are quite enlightening."

"Oh?" Regina raised her eyebrows and turned to Emma who gave a quick smile.

The foursome walked the length of the gallery, Jefferson stopping every so often to greet a guest while Maleficent turned her gaze to Emma.

"Your dress is nice, dear, is it cotton?" Maleficent asked sipping her wine glass.

"What?" Emma floundered, her cheeks taking on a pink hue.

"_Maleficent_," Regina hissed.

"It looks..." she let her eyes wander over Emma's form. "Cozy."

"Your dress looks constricting," Emma pointed out to the red leather.

Maleficent tittered. "Worth every penny."

Emma set her jaw and was about to say something when Regina's hand took her waist, leading them just a step away from the infuriating taller blonde. She relaxed with Regina leaned into her side and whispered in her ear. "You look amazing."

Emma smiled softly, leaning down to peck Regina gratefully before turning back towards her friends. Try as she might, Emma couldn't ignore the angry embarrassment that bubbled up inside her every time Maleficent commented on something about Emma from her scuffed heels to her counterfeit clutch. She also felt stupid every time Jefferson asked her opinion on one of his pieces. She was having a more difficult time linking global real-world metaphors to his pictures as they walked along. The hand on her lower back from Regina did little to alleviate the inadequacy Emma felt, though she appreciated the gesture nonetheless. Her patience was wearing thin in this place, specifically with Maleficent, though the people who approached them to greet either Jefferson or Regina while ignoring Emma completely had another thing coming to them.

"How do you like this one?" Jefferson pointed out a picture of the Queen of Hearts at her court. She was clearly not the Disney original portrayal if her scantily-clad body and very minimal clothing was anything to go by. Added in with the dripping heart in one hand and head in the other, Emma had had enough of this artsy crap.

"You know what?" The blonde started interrupting Regina's sentence. "It looks like something out of my kid's comic books. Men drawing half naked women in fantasy situations? It's been done."

Jefferson knit his eyebrows at her while Regina stared aghast. Maleficent looked positively amused.

"You have a son?" She asked intrigued.

"Emma," Regina hissed at the same time.

"The idea is good, I'll give you that, and the costume designs are amazing, but I would see this in the Zenescope Grimm Fairy Tales trade," Emma continued before smiling as politely as she could and sauntered off.

* * *

Fuck. She really messed up this time. Emma leaned against the wall of the mansion, kicking back at the brick in her moment of stupidity. Regina was gonna rip her to shreds. She pushed off the wall hoping to bum a cigarette from a group huddled by the hedges, but by the time she stepped forward a familiar brunette in a seafoam green dress stopped her. Regina was not impressed.

"I-"

"Save it." Regina tugged on Emma's arm as their town car pulled up, and she ushered her into the back.

The ride back to Regina's was tense and uncomfortable. They sat on opposite ends with Regina staring out the tinted windows and Emma chewing nervously on her thumb nail.

She had never seen the brunette so upset before. True, when they first met Regina was more than a little aggravating and forward, but Emma had never purposely driven her to such a state before. She wanted to apologize for how she acted, but at the same time she hated thinking that lashing out to people she didn't even like was uncalled for rude behaviour. She was so screwed.

When the town car pulled up to Regina's condo, Emma got out, turning to see if Regina needed help only to discover the brunette had hopped out of her side. She chanced a glance at her beetle sitting in the middle of the guest parking lot and had no idea what the hell she was supposed to do now. Regina was already making her way into her building, the security door opened, and as a last minute decision, Emma followed.

She figured that since Regina didn't scorn her as soon as the elevator door closed was a good sign. She also relaxed just a little bit more when the brunette didn't slam her apartment door in her face, but as soon as Emma had the door shut behind them, she panicked when Regina suddenly turned, advancing on her quickly.

"What the hell was that?"

Emma sputtered before getting her bearings. "They were making fun of me!"

"Maleficent mocks everyone, and Jefferson was doing nothing to you," Regina reasoned though the volume of her voice had Emma cringing.

Emma ran her hands through her hair before placing them firmly on her hips. "It's just, I stick out like a sore thumb there."

"You didn't," Regina insisted. "Up until your final departure that is."

Emma shook her head, mentally going over the evening. It was overwhelming and different and totally out of her element, but aside from Maleficent's jabs, it wasn't completely terrible.

"If you're going to act like this every time we go somewhere like that-"

"How often are we going to go somewhere like that?" The question was out before Emma could stop it, and she knew it wasn't the right thing to say.

Regina crossed her arms and glared. "Fine. I'll remember not to invite you next time."

"No, no, no that's not what I meant," Emma rushed to clarify. "I just, I'm not used to that."

"Are you not the one who told me to live a little?" Regina threw Emma's words back at her.

"Yes," the blonde sighed dejectedly taking a cautious step forward, relieved when Regina didn't step back. "Yeah, I said that. I said you should try new things and do fun stuff, and going to galleries and parties like that are fun for you."

Regina shook her head. "Perhaps this evening was a mistake-"

"No." Emma forgot all sense of caution and closed the distance between them, taking Regina's hands in hers. "No. It wasn't. I actually had a really good time. I could go without seeing Maleficent again, but everyone else was really nice." Emma released a hand to cup Regina's cheek. "I'm sorry I acted out. That won't happen again."

Brown eyes locked with green, and Emma hoped Regina would accept her apology. Her heart pounded in her ears, and she was sure it was loud enough for the whole building to hear. Regina remained silent for a good minute before slowly shutting her eyes and inclining her head.

"She can be overbearing," Regina admitted reluctantly.

Emma's lips upturned into a small smile before she took another step eliminating all space between them. "Are we okay?"

The nervous frown on Emma's face was kissed away when Regina closed the distance between them and pecked a reassuring kiss on Emma's lips. "We're okay."


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer in Chapter One.**

**AN: Sexytimes ahead! That is all.**

* * *

"What time are you picking up Henry?" Regina moaned breathily as she straddled Emma's lap, the blonde unbuttoning her blouse with an agonizingly slow pace, pressing hot kisses along each inch of new revealed flesh.

Emma licked a line up from between the valley of Regina's breasts to just under her chin and sucked. She released the skin with a pop when Regina dug her nails into Emma's shoulders. "He's helping Frederick for another hour."

Regina leaned back with a grin, her shirt open revealing a red lacy bra with Emma's own shirt hanging off a shoulder. Her fingers travelled lazily down Emma's front until they came to rest at the clasp of her jeans. She bit her lip in anticipation, her heart beating rapidly under the flimsy lace material as she watched Emma's eyes darken, the blonde's desire evident even without the marks that frequently adorned her neck. Keeping her eyes trained on the deep green ones just below her, she popped the clasp and lowered her face toward Emma's. "Would you like to come upstairs?"

Emma's eyes fluttered shut, gasping breathily when Regina rolled her hips over Emma's pelvis. Her hands shot out to Regina's waist, either to stop or aid the brunette in her roving, she wasn't sure. What she was certain about, however, she voiced with unrestrained tension in her throat. "I don't think I can make it up there."

Regina rocked her hips over Emma's again, and then once more when Emma helped move her more languidly right over her mound. They both shuddered at the contact. With deft fingers, she eased Emma's zipper down, keeping the palm of her hand over Emma's core as she rocked into her. "Then I suppose we better stay here."

Emma didn't need to voice her agreement. Instead she thrust her head forehead and captured Regina's bruised lips with her own, her teeth nibbling softly on the plump bottom lip before her tongue dived into Regina's mouth, teasing the moans out of the brunette.

The shock of the force made Regina lose her balance and fall forward, her hands stopping from a complete crash when they landed on her couch, one on either side of Emma's head with Emma's hands roaming tightly up and down her back. She broke the kiss, panting hotly into Emma's ear as the blonde peppered kisses along her jaw, her ear, the column of her neck. Regina couldn't stop her hips from rocking even if she wanted to, and she sure as hell didn't want to. Another moan escaped her lips when Emma moved her lips from Regina's neck down to her collarbone and lower still.

Her chest rose and fell with how heavily she was breathing when Emma pulled back slightly, her eyes glancing up toward Regina before falling back down to her bra-clad chest. Regina grinned and leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss that contrasted greatly against their rapidly beating hearts and throbbing desires before grabbing Emma's hands and moving them under her shirt to the clasp of her bra.

Not completely obtuse, Emma worked quickly to release the clasp, shrug off Regina's blouse and tug down the red lace to reveal the small rounded breasts and pert brown nipples she had gawked at since the first time they met. She wasted no time to bring a nipple into her mouth, and Regina wasted no time with letting her satisfaction be moan with a whimpered groan and pulling Emma's fiercely clutched head to her chest.

Regina's mind was clouded with Emma's mouth on her, but she fought through the haze, placing kisses all over the top of Emma's head as the blonde continued to lap at her chest. Regina's hand snaked out of Emma's hair, traveling down her front to bring Emma's own breast into her hand and massaged it through the fabric of her shirt and bra. Giving it another squeeze, Regina released her breast and travelled down to Emma's open jeans, sneaking a hand into the fabric.

"God," Emma moaned, pulling back from Regina's chest.

Regina simply pressed the heel of her hand to the dampest part of Emma's panties and rocked against it.

"Regina," Emma whimpered, forgetting her previous task and rocking into Regina's hand.

"Yes?" The brunette grinned and used her free hand to tug Emma's chin up, kissing the blonde languidly as her hips continued to thrust forward into her hand pressed possessively on Emma's core.

"Don't stop," Emma muttered against her lips.

Regina shuddered as she pulled back, feeling another gush of wetness coat Emma's panties and dampen her fingers. Just seeing the blonde with her head leaned back and her eyes slammed shut in satisfaction made Regina ache. She needed more contact, and more than anything she needed Emma out of those clothes and certainly out these skintight jeans.

She removed her hand, laughing lightly when Emma clutched her wrists and her eyes screamed silently asking what the hell she thought she was doing. But a simple kiss from the brunette told Emma to trust her. She lifted her hips a few inches above Emma then moved her palm over the top of Emma panties, easing a few fingers inside the silk. The feel of damp curls against her fingers made Regina sit down sharply on Emma, both women groaning at the oh so needed contact. Finding Emma's entrance, Regina shuddered into Emma's ear feeling the blonde's fingers dig deep into her waist.

"Regina," Emma moaned again, pleadingly this time.

"Emma," she responded in kind, moving from Emma's ear to her lips.

Before they could connect or Regina could thrust her fingers upward as she had intended, a loud, furious knock sounded on her door.

"Ignore it," Emma pleaded, tugging on Regina's wrist begging the brunette to continue.

With a roll of her shoulder, Regina connected their lips, toying with the wetness at Emma's core making the blonde squirm.

"Regina!" The knocking had turned into a pounding, and the voice on the other side of the door sent chills through the brunette.

She whipped her hand out of Emma's pants and scrambled off the blonde as if they had been walked in on.

"Reg-"

Regina pressed a finger to Emma's lips to silence her, her voice wide and pleading. "It's my mother."

"Okay," Emma answered unsure as to why Regina was freaking out. She tugged her pants shut and righted her shirt before running a hand through her hair to fix it up.

Regina, however, struggled to put on her bra and shirt as the pounding on the door increased. "Go upstairs."

"What?" Emma hissed.

"Please." Regina tugged Emma up and ushered her toward the stairs. "Stay up there until she leaves."

"It's just your mom, Regina," Emma shrugged, resisting the brunette's pushing until they were at the foot of the stairs.

"Regina!" Cora called again.

Regina eyed the door fearfully before turning back to Emma. The blonde sighed and nodded, giving Regina a reassuring kiss to her cheek before quickly making her way upstairs.

Regina straightened her blouse, tucking it into her slacks then fluffed out her hair. Taking three deep breaths on her walk to the front, she opened the door.

"What on earth took you so long?" Cora entered the condo with no invitation, thrusting her coat and bag into her daughter's arms. "I was about to have someone tear down the door in my worry."

Regina rolled her eyes as she hung up the coat and bag on the rack beside the door. She knew her mother wasn't worried. Cora Mills was just a woman who did not like to be kept waiting.

"I'm sorry, Mother," Regina replied moving toward the kitchen to wash her hands from any evidence of Emma. "My mind was on what I should eat."

Cora made a noise of acknowledgement as she sat at the head of the dinner table, clutching the arms of the chair like she was seated in a throne. Regina scurried to pour water into a kettle and set it to a boil on the stove.

"What brings you by, Mother?" Regina asked grabbing a tea cup and her mother's tea from the cabinets. She kept her back to the older woman eyeing the kettle willing it to boil faster.

"How are you, darling?" Cora's tone was too sickly-sweet for Regina's liking, and she was sure that if she were to turn around she'd find her staring knowingly at Regina.

"I'm well," Regina answered, taking the kettle off the stove as soon as the first whistle sounded. She poured the water into the cup, letting the peppermint waft into the air. "And you?"

"I've been better."

Regina turned with the tea, settling it down in front of her mother as the older woman watched her like a hawk. "I'm sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes," Cora answered taking a sip of her tea. "You can tell me who Emma Swan is."

Regina froze as she sat, resisting the urge to glance up toward her bedroom where the subject of her mother's interrogation now hid. Lying to her mother was moot and dangerous. No one lied to Cora Mills, let alone her daughter. So Regina sat in the chair adjacent to her, her eyes trained on the intricate details of the woodwork before she cleared her throat.

"How do you know of her?" Regina asked quietly.

Cora leaned over and grabbed Regina's chin between her thumb and forefinger forcing her attention. Regina ignored the sting of pain as nails dug into her flesh before Cora released her fiercely, her jaw set and lips pursed.

"There was a beautiful picture of you two in the society section of the paper. You think Jefferson's events don't make news?" Cora took another sip of her tea. "Or were you planning on upstaging him by bringing a woman as your date?"

"I had no intention of upstaging-"

"Honestly, Regina, I thought you were over this phase."

The younger brunette averted her eyes but remained quiet.

Cora shook her head in disappointment. "How do you know she's not some trollop?"

"She's not a trollop," Regina insisted, the aggravation in her tone rising.

"She's probably after you for your money." Cora's eyes brightened in revelation. "Is she the colleague from the youth centre?"

Regina nodded making Cora tsk and shake her head disapprovingly.

"Well, I can see why you devoted so much attention to such a project."

"It's not like that, Mother."

"Then what is it like, Regina?" Cora demanded with a bang of her fist on the mahogany.

Regina flinched at the noise, but after a moment of quiet she stared directly at her mother, defiance written all over her face. "She is my girlfriend."

Cora scoffed with a shake of her head. "I thought you had grown up. Throwing away your life and your reputation, for what? A pool boy? Some experiences in college? This Emma Swan?"

"You don't know her."

"She's just a bartender, and she has a son, and not to mention a juvenile record." Cora caught the flash in Regina's eyes. "I assume you didn't know that one, did you?"

Regina knew Emma had had a past, and her stints with the law were some of the things that had spoken about. She just didn't want her mother to know that she knew. The things Cora would say if she knew Regina was dating a a known felon would have the younger brunette grounded even in her adult age, and being grounded by Cora Mills was not something Regina liked to do.

Cora stood and walked toward the door shrugging on her coat. Regina obediently followed holding out her mother's purse for her. She stared distant as Cora cupped Regina's cheek in her palm and spoke soothingly.

"Darling, I'm just looking out for you."

"I can take care of myself," Regina insisted.

"I know you think that, but remember that your mother knows best." Cora slung her purse over her shoulder before putting a hand on the door. "Bring her and the boy to dinner next month."

"Henry," Regina interjected. "Henry and Emma."

Cora smiled but it was obvious she didn't care. "I expect to see them there." She opened the door and stepped into the hallway, but before she disappeared she called to Regina over her shoulder. "Your lipstick is smudged, dear."

Regina shot a hand to her lips, wiping around them and coming away with the lipstick that would have no doubt been smeared on Emma's lips and neck. A shock of blonde hair descended from the stairs, but Regina didn't move from her spot leaning against the closed door. Emma was in a similar position, placing her weight on the banister of the stairs.

"So," she drawled. "That's your mom."

"I'm sorry," Regina rushed to get out.

"I've been called worse," Emma mumbled, shifting from foot to foot. "Were you trying to hide me or something?"

"If I was trying to hide you would I invite you to a gallery where I knew there would be photographers?"

Emma muttered an obscure response before moving to the couch and dropping down hard on it. After a moment, Regina followed suit, but she sat on the the opposite end, her leg curled under the other.

"My mother, she isn't the easiest person to speak with."

"I can tell."

"I'm not keeping you a secret."

"You hid me in your room when your mother, who found out about us in the paper from a section I didn't even know that we had, came knocking," Emma pointed out. "It all seems a little secretive."

Regina mulled the idea in her head. When she spoke, she spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. "She's not an easy woman to please."

"You mean she wouldn't like me."

"It's not you-"

"Just where I come from?"

"Emma," Regina ground out in irritation. "Are you dating my mother?"

Emma wrinkled her nose in disgust. "No."

"Then it's not her you need to impress," Regina reasoned. "And judging from our precious activities, I'd say you've already done your job impressing me."

Emma couldn't help the smirk escaping her lips. She leaned back, her brows furrowed in contemplation. "But she's your mom."

Regina simply nodded before standing and moving to a side table where she poured healthy amounts of cider into two tumblers. Bringing the drinks over, she forced one into Emma's hand as she sat next to the blonde.

She watched out of the corner of her eye as Emma sipped the cider, made a surprised face, then downed the glass in appreciation. Finally Emma put the glass on the coffee table before sidling up to Regina, interlacing their fingers as Regina sipped the cider quietly. She felt the blonde's head on the back of her shoulder and leaned into the touch.

"You don't care?" Emma asked quietly.

Regina shook her head.

"So if I go to this dinner and she says she hates me-"

"She won't do that," Regina interrupted. "It'll ruin her image."

Emma rolled her eyes and squeezed Regina's hand to play along. "What if she wants you to stop seeing me?"

Regina turned her head, placing her drink next to Emma's on the table before leaning her head closer to the blonde's, their gazes locked.

Regina had only ever felt passionate about one other person in her life, and he had left her out of the blue. She had never been the same after that, trusting a select few and loving even less. But Emma was different, as she'd always known she had been. Gazing into the swirling orbs of blue-green, Regina could see the vulnerability in them, the fear that Regina would drop her, like the families that had abandoned her in the past, on a moment's notice.

She never wanted to see that fear in Emma's eyes again.

She turned fully to face the blonde, both hands clasped protectively in her own. "Then that will be the last dinner I spend with my mother."

Emma looked down with a pleased blush on her cheeks. "You know, I like you."

Regina smirked. "I like you too."

"Not as much as Henry?" Emma teased.

Regina gave a playful shrug. "Speaking of which, I believe he's waiting for us."

* * *

"Can we have a movie marathon tonight?" Henry asked, jumping up and down as soon as he, Emma, and Regina stepped into their apartment.

"We just spent over an hour at the park," Emma pointed out.

"Please?" Henry turned his wide eyes to his mother and then to Regina.

Regina laughed once but looked to Emma for approval. Emma laughed crouching to his level.

"I told you, kid," Emma said ruffling his hair. "We can do anything you want on my nights off."

"Can I stay up late?" He pressed.

Regina smirked giving Emma a look clearly indicating the blonde was trapped.

"No," Emma said pointedly before placing her hands on his shoulder to scurry him towards his room. "Clean up a bit, and then we'll make dinner."

He pouted at the chore but didn't complain as he ran off to his room.

"That's the iron fist, dear," Regina teased hanging up her coat in the closet that was primarily used for storage.

"Mock all you want, but the teachers never complain about him being the messy kid, or the disruptive kid, or the kid who smells like pee," Emma said pointedly as she moved through the kitchen and rifled through the cupboards for a couple boxes of Kraft Dinner.

Regina wrinkled her nose as she spotted the blue boxes of macaroni and cheese in a box. "What is that?"

Emma held up the box. "You never had? It's really good."

"No, dear." Regina took the boxes and put it back in the cupboards.

She rummaged through them, moving her search to the fridge and pantry as she pulled out ingredients as she went along. Soon the counter was topped with half a bag of macaroni, a block of cheddar cheese, the milk jug, butter, and flour. She turned swiftly, not noticing Emma's amused expression. "Pots and pans?"

Emma simply motioned her head towards the top of the fridge where the pots and pans remained stacked.

Regina eyed the location but said nothing as she stretched to grab one of each before turning toward the blonde. "I'll let you in on a secret."

"Oh?" Emma sidled up behind her as she filled the pot with water.

"If you really want to impress me," Regina began easily moving out of Emma's grasp to set the pot to a boil, "you'll stop eating that garbage."

Emma sat on top of the counter crossing her arms with a smirk. "Maybe I just don't don't want to impress you."

"You should consider it," Regina said with a tilt of her head as she eyeballed a tablespoon of butter. "You'll be surprised where it can get you."

"So what's all this for? Fancy mac and cheese?"

"It's hardly fancy, dear. It's just better than that processed powder companies dare to call cheese."

Emma reached into the drawer between her legs and picked out a knife before cutting herself some cubes of cheese and nibbling on it. "So you are the heiress daughter of a multimillion dollar hotel chain who is a pretty big up and coming photographer, and you can cook to boot. Did I get all that, princess?"

Regina shrugged coyly as she poured in two cups of macaroni into the water. "You also failed to mention I'm fantastic in bed."

Emma coughed on her cheese but raised an eyebrow intrigued. "Well, I'd have to test that one out personally."

Regina gave a sideways grin as she tended to the pasta.

"What's a girl like you doing with a girl like me?" Regina turned to look at the blonde who had reiterated her words from their first meeting, but this time Regina could hear the genuine awe and curiosity in her tone.

She moved to sidle in between Emma's legs, her hands placed firmly on the blonde's thighs as she gazed upwards, her lips tilted towards Emma's. Leaning in close, she whispered breathily into Emma's mouth. "Remind me."

Emma wasted no time capturing Regina's lips, and just like always, the raging fire within them doubled from the other's mere touch.

"Gross," Henry groaned standing in the doorway of his room.

Regina pulled back with a furious blush to her cheeks, trying desperately to escape from between Emma's legs where the blonde had wrapped around her.

"Henry," Regina sputtered flabbergasted when she realized Emma was not letting her escape. "Your mother was just-"

"Were you kissing?" He asked with a wrinkle of his nose.

"No, dear, we-"

"Yes," Emma winked before placing a loud exaggerated raspberry kiss on Regina's cheek.

Henry rolled his eyes though the tilt of his lips told the women that he was amused by their antics. Regina, however, was not pleased with the slobber on her cheek and forcibly pushed away wiping at it with a dish towel as Emma sat with an innocent smile.

Her cell phone ringing pulled the smile away forcing Emma to hop off the counter and move further into the living room to answer the call.

"What are we having?" Henry asked peeking over the stove.

Regina heated a large saucer pan, dropping the two tablespoons of butter and flour into the pan before pouring the milk into it.

"A different sort of macaroni and cheese," Regina answered. She leaned down conspiratorially. "With a secret ingredient."

"What is it?" He loudly whispered.

Regina simply tapped her nose and pointed at Emma, signalling that she would tell him when the coast was clear. Henry beamed, eager to be in on the plan.

"How come you're heating up milk?"

"I'm creating a beschmel for the cheese."

"A what?"

Regina glanced down at him, narrowing her eyes in thought before she pulled a chair over to the stove and motioned for him to kneel on it. She handed him the whisk and helped guide his hand as he stirred the white roux. "A beschmel is flour and butter cooked in milk. If you put it on a low to medium heat, the milk with thicken to a sauce similar to an Alfredo."

"The white sauce over the noodles?" He asked, taking more of a lead on the whisking though Regina's hand never left his.

"Precisely."

"As soon as this has thickened up nicely, we can add cheese and we will get a very delicious and homemade macaroni and cheese."

"I can help?" He asked shyly.

"Aren't you already?" The thickening roux under his whisking attention made him grin at the realization.

"Kid," Emma called from the living room, placing her phone none too gently on the breakfast table. Her shoulders were slumped and a frown in place, but her eyes were apologetic. "I'm sorry, Henry..."

"Work?" His tone was casual, as if he had asked it numerous times in the past, but his eyes, like his mother's demeanour, held the same disappointed glint.

She nodded. "I'll call Ashley over so you guys can finish."

"You have to leave now?" Regina questioned.

Emma nodded again. "A few of the girls caught mono or something. August is understaffed, and he needs me there before the other girls get too overwhelmed with the crowd."

"Okay," Henry said quietly before turning his body back to the whisking task.

It didn't take an idiot to know that Henry had been looking forward to having his mom home for the day, or that Emma was beating herself up over having to leave her child for work yet again. And Regina was no idiot. She couldn't stop Emma from working, but perhaps she could bring a smile to at least one member of the Swan household. With a quiet request to man the beschmel, Regina left Henry to the task, lowering the heat just in case, before meeting Emma in her bedroom where she was changing for work. She caught her as she pulled on a tank top, stopping midway to frown apologetically to Regina.

"I'm sorry," Emma immediately said. "I wouldn't go if I didn't have to."

Regina wanted to argue that she didn't have to, but already she could foresee the consequences of opening that wound. Instead, she offered up the only plausible solution she could think of.

"I'd like to watch Henry tonight, if that's okay with you."

"I'm sure he'd love that, but you know how late I get home," Emma replied as she scurried through her closet and pulled out a leather vest crop top and slipped it over her head.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've slept over, Emma."

The blonde slowed her movements of fluffing her hair out as she thought about Regina's request. "You wouldn't mind?"

"I believe it's part of my job description."

"You don't have to-"

"I want to," Regina insisted, closing the gap between them.

Regina could see the conflict behind jade eyes. Even within days of meeting Emma, Regina could see that she didn't trust her son with just anyone, and she refused to ask for help unless absolutely necessary. Entrusting Henry into her care would not only be a big step for Emma, but a step in their relationship. Having a child was a big commitment, Regina knew that. But being in a child's life and suddenly disappearing was a risk both women had to take.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked one more time.

"Yes."

Regina was caught off guard when the brunette kissed her swiftly, but before Regina had time to react Emma was already out of the room and into the kitchen announcing the change of plans to Henry. His whoop and cheer made Regina grin before she remembered she had left a little boy in charge of the kitchen.

Quickly taking the whisk from him and checking on the noodles, she used her free hand to steady the chair as he hopped down to kiss his mother goodbye.

Regina tried not to listen in as Emma spoke quietly to him by the doorway, but with Emma down on one knee in front of an attentive Henry was just too difficult to turn away from.

"Regina is in charge, Henry," Emma spoke firmly as he nodded. "And I don't want to hear how you tried to con your way into staying up late."

"It's a weekend," Henry argued.

A firm stare had the boy sighing with defeat.

"I love you," she whispered before hugging him tightly, placing a kiss on the side of his head.

"I love you too," he responded leaning into her.

Regina turned back towards the boiling pot of macaroni and the thickening roux before Emma stood and made her way over to her. She smiled to herself when Emma took her waist and hugged her from behind, pressing a similar kiss to the side of Regina's head. The domesticity of the situation wasn't lost on Regina as she turned her head to claim a proper kiss from Emma.

With a squeeze to her hip, Emma winked before whispering low. "You don't stay up too."

"If you think you have control over when I sleep you are sorely mistaken," Regina said with a raised eyebrow.

"I could probably think of things that would wear even you out for an early night," Emma whispered huskily directly into Regina's ear making the brunette shudder and widen her eyes at the implications.

Emma kissed Regina's cheek again before finally leaving the apartment.

Henry sidled up to Regina, kneeling up on the chair as he watched her stir the roux and macaroni alternatively.

"Would you like a little assignment?"

"Not like homework?" He questioned.

Regina laughed and shook her head. "A cooking assignment."

"Okay." Henry agreed eagerly.

Regina set the whisk and wooden spoon aside to dig through Emma's unorganized drawers to find a grater. She set it in front of Henry on the counter and placed a large block of cheese and plate in front of him. "Grate as much cheese as you can."

"How much?" He asked already starting his task.

"How cheesy do you like your mac and cheese?"

"Extra, extra cheesy!"

She grinned patting his head affectionately before returning to the stove. "If you're able to grate lots and lots of cheese, then we can have an extra, extra cheesy meal."

Henry's eyes brightened grating more determinedly though keeping an eye on his fingers against the grate. By the time he was finished with his enormous amount of grated cheese, Regina had already strained the pasta and added salt and pepper to the creamy mix. Her face was furrowed as she rummaged through the cupboards, but with a satisfied "ah ha", she pulled out a never opened bottle of red pepper flakes.

"My secret weapon," she whispered before adding a dash of the flakes on the mix turning it into a light pink.

"Cheese." Upon request Henry dropped the grated cheese into the mix by the handfuls as Regina whisked it into a thick cheesy mixture. Soon enough the pasta was added, mixed evenly with the cheese.

Regina looked through the cupboards for a serving platter, but Henry had tilted his head in confusion and said his mom just plated food from the pot. Not one to break habit, she took two plates and scooped a large serving of the pasta onto both plates. Henry eagerly hopped down from his spot on the chair to grab glasses and juice, setting it down on the table.

Regina watched with a hopeful eye as Henry stabbed a fork into his meal and popped the helping into his mouth. His face scrunched up, no doubt from the spice of the cayenne pepper, but she was relieved that he hadn't spat it out.

"So?" Regina asked hopefully, seeking the approval of her girlfriend's nine-year old son.

"It's good!" Henry beamed digging into the pasta with gusto.

Regina had faced rooms filled with executives, looking to invest in her parents' hotel chain lines, prestigious buyers of fine art, and some of the hardest critiques she had ever met, but Henry's approval meant more to her than all of those combined.

* * *

"I can't believe you've never seen the X-Men trilogy before," Henry said after dinner, the first two X-Men movies, and brushing his teeth.

He climbed into bed, snuggling into his Iron Man sheets wearing his matching Iron Man pyjamas.

"Next time we'll have to finish the last one," Regina said still standing in his doorway, unsure of what to do next.

"We could finish it now," Henry suggested with an innocent shrug.

"Nice try, mister," she scolded playfully.

Henry pouted then glanced up at her shyly. "Can you read me a story?"

"Of course, dear." Regina stepped fully into the room and found no space to sit as Henry scurried to pick out a book. She shrugged and sat on the edge of his bed as he pulled a large fairy tale book onto his lap.

"Fairy tales?" Regina asked curiously flipping through the pages.

"My mom used to read it to me when I was younger," Henry explained. "She hasn't tucked me in a long time."

The sadness in his voice was evident no matter how hard the boy tried to sound indifferent. Regina instinctively placed a palm to his cheek as she lowered her gaze to meet his.

"Do you get upset that your mother works so much?"

"She needs to." His answer was one Regina was sure he told himself whenever he needed convincing.

"Yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean she wants to," she insisted. "If she had a choice, she would spend all her time with you, tucking you in, watching movies-"

"Making Kraft Dinner," he added in making Regina smirk.

"Yes, she would still be doing that, wouldn't she?"

Henry nodded smiling softly.

"You miss her." It was an observation rather than a question, but the boy looked hesitant to confirm that. Regina moved her palm down to Henry's hand, holding his in both of hers and squeezed reassuringly. "I can guarantee you that your mother would rather be here with you more than anything in the entire world. Do you know why?"

He shook his head.

She smiled tapping his nose. "Because you are so special and so intelligent, and above all, her son whom she loves very much and would move the sun and stars to make you happy."

Henry was quiet for a moment in contemplation. Regina had to refrain from smiling softly that both he and his mother shared the same glint in their eyes when they thought hard on a subject.

"I know," he began after a moment before lowering his voice and whispering the last part, "but what if I just want her home at night?"

Regina bit her lip knowing she was encroaching on dangerous territory. She knew exactly how Henry felt, desperate for a mother's attention, but she was grateful that the boy at least knew that he was Emma's world. Words were part of Regina's arsenal when it came to acquiring many things in her life, but words failed her at this moment, not knowing how to assuage Henry's sadness.

She kissed the top of his head affectionately, pulling him closer to her in a lingering hug. "Soon," she promised. "Your mother will be home soon."

Henry nodded, and after a beat, he flipped to a specific page in the book of Regina's lap and pointed to the story. "Can you read that one? That's mine and mom's favourite."

"Gladly," Regina nodded as she glanced down at the page. "_The White Knight and the Evil Queen_. Once upon a time there was an Evil Queen..."

* * *

Regina had never babysat before in her life. Her teenage years were not spent earning wages babysitting for her mother's friend's children or the local neighbours. It was spent taking piano lessons, being president of her private school's student council and debate team, organizing events that made the front page of her school newspaper, and taking advanced classes. None of those classes were Parenting, her mother deeming such a class as trivial since motherhood should be instinctual. Regina never commented on the fact that Cora never acted like any of her friend's mothers, but like always, Cora knew best.

Watching over Henry had been relatively easy if not nerve wracking. She wasn't sure what the protocol was for bath time or if the boy needed a certain night light on, but with Henry's help, she had gotten through the evening with nothing to report. It was just when Henry had fallen asleep right when the Knight had broken the Evil Queen's curse with True Love's kiss did Regina start to wonder what on earth she should do now.

Leaving Henry's door open a crack for good measure, Regina set about tidying the place, washing the dishes and replacing them back into their proper homes. Plating the leftovers into the fridge. She picked up Emma's wayward clothes and Henry's misplaced toys, putting the clothes into a laundry hamper in Emma's closer and the toys in an organized pile in the corner of the living room. She couldn't suppress her yawn as she peeked into Henry's room at eleven, finding the boy sprawled haphazardly in his bed.

Regina couldn't help the worried feeling that gnawed at her. She was responsible for Henry and if anything happened to him during the night, it would be her fault.

So Regina attempted to stay up all night, checking in every half hour just to make sure he was safe in his bed. On the half hour mark, Regina's phone would vibrate, waking her from the small nap she was able to get by sleeping in Emma's bed, dressed in one of Emma's old band tshirts as a night gown, and she would tread quietly into Henry's room, pleased to find him asleep. By the time three am came around, Regina shuffled blurry-eyed into Henry's room, but her eyes snapped open as a shadowy figure loomed over him.

Senses alert now, Regina didn't hesitate to march over to the bed, grabbing Henry's fairy tale book she left on his nightstand and smack the intruder on the back.

"Ow Jesus fu-!"

Regina turned on his lamp, shocked to see Emma, half leaning on his bed with a hand to her back.

"Oh my god, Emma." Regina immediately rushed over to the blonde and tried to steady her.

"Mom?" Henry's sleep-ridden voice sounded, his head coming off his pillow a few inches trying to get a handle on what was happening despite his sleepy haze.

Emma hissed as she leaned toward him, soothing him back down with a hand to his head. "I'm here, bud. Go back to sleep."

Within an instant, he was asleep again, unaware that Regina was still holding the fairy tale book she had used to briefly incapacitate his mother with. Regina set the book down and helped Emma to her feet. "I thought you were an intruder."

"So your weapon of choice is a book?" Emma asked, turning off the lamp and letting Regina lead her out of the room.

"It clearly worked."

They turned, already entering Emma's room with Regina leading her to the bed. They sat as Emma stretched, getting a feel for her stinging back. "Remind me not to piss you off in the future."

"That's just good advice, dear."

Emma glared. "Come on, you attacked me with a book."

"Stop being such a big baby," Regina rolled her eyes. "If you'd like, I'll kiss it better."

"Yes," Emma answered, already pulling off her leather vest and tank top leaving her in a neon green cotton bra. "Kiss it better."

Regina rolled her her eyes but gently pushed Emma down onto the bed, nudging her to turn her onto her front. She straddled Emma's lower back, her bare thighs squeezing around the blonde's hips as she settled forward, massaging the place between Emma's shoulder blades before lowering herself and pressing feather soft kisses on the spot she had hit. The moan that escaped Emma's throat didn't go unnoticed as soon as Regina's core, covered only by her lace panties, came in contact with Emma's bare back.

"Better?" She whispered into Emma's ear.

The blonde exhaled breathily as her eyes fluttered shut. "I don't know, I got assaulted with a weapon."

Regina chuckled lightly still flushed firmly against Emma as her hands massaged the blonde's tense shoulders. "I thought you were tough."

"And you are very skilled with your hands."

Regina nipped at Emma's earlobe. "You should see what else I could do with them."

Emma tilted her head as far back as she could with a raised eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Mmhmm." Regina reared up on her knees back to straddling the younger woman's waist. She lifted herself up a few inches to allow Emma to turn onto her back, the blonde's hands travelling up Regina's thighs as they settled under the band shirt and on Regina's taut stomach.

"Show me." Emma's eyes had darken to near black, blonde curls fanning the pillow beneath her like a halo.

Regina subconsciously rocked into Emma's hips, her heart beating rapidly from Emma's words alone. She took a deep, shuddering breath, placing her hands over Emma's as they dug into her flesh.

"I believe I already gave you a preview, dear," Regina whispered huskily as she trailed their hands up her front, her shirt riding up as they went to reveal the bottom of her breasts. "It's your turn to show me."

Emma took the lead, pushing their hands up over Regina's breasts massaging the soft mounds beneath her fingertips with Regina's hands still covering her own. With Regina's soft moans and her rhythmic hip rocking, Emma didn't hesitate to lift the long tee off the brunette's shoulders leaving her naked except for those damp panties.

"My weapon of choice," Emma breathed out as she sat up making Regina gasp at the shock, "isn't my hands."

Emma made her point with a hot kiss right above Regina's panty line, leaning Regina back a few inches to give herself space to suck and lap just below Regina's belly button. Licking so close to where Regina needed her most, the brunette faltered in keeping herself steady and leaned back on the palm of one hand while the other clutched the back of Emma's neck desperately. Emma moved her kisses up slowly, nipping the skin every so often before she finally returned to the breast she had unfortunately abandoned earlier that day. Sighing contentedly, she brought it to her mouth, eager to complete her previously unfinished task. Her tongue moved over Regina's nipple, the bud hardening in her mouth while her hand massaged the neglected one, twisting the bud between her fingers and earning herself a deep and loud moan.

"Shhh," Emma eased pulling back with a pop.

Regina swallowed and nodded, biting her lip to keep her moans at bay, and the sight of her rocking on top of Emma becoming more and more turned on fueled Emma's fire. She moved her mouth to the other breast, giving it the same treatment before finally claiming Regina's lips within her own. Emma barely registered the fact that Regina had unclasped her bra and and tossed it to the side. She was too busy pulling Regina into her and lifting her hips to turn them over, Emma leaning over the brunette with a predatory glean.

The surprised yelp Regina gave had Emma smirking, but she pressed a sweet kiss to her lips as a reminder. "We have to be quiet."

"Easy for you to say," Regina ground out feeling Emma's knee against her wet heat.

She grabbed a fist full of blanket feeling Emma's lips on her skin again, her flesh heating up and quivering with each stroke of pale, plump lips as they descended down to her pelvis where Emma pressed a firm kiss to the center of her red lace panties. Her hips bucked up involuntarily, needing more contact, needing Emma on her immediately. Sensing her desire, Emma reared up on onto her elbows and slipped Regina's panties off her legs leaving her completely bare.

Emma sucked in a breath seeing Regina exposed before her, chocolate eyes gazing up at her with lust, wonder, and something else entirely. Her chest was heaving with anticipation, but her legs had come together in an attempt to remain modest as Emma began memorizing everything about Regina's body from her slender curves to the small mole to the left of her hip.

Determined to even out the playing field, Emma unbuckled her jeans, her eyes never leaving Regina's as Regina watched Emma tug her jeans down her thighs and then lifted to shimmy them down her legs with her underwear. She crawled over to the brunette with her hands on both of Regina's thighs, her voice soft and tentative. "Can I?"

"Yes." Her answer came out breathily, ridden with desire and impatience.

Regina remained leaning on her elbows as she watched Emma ease her legs open, pushing them upwards toward the bed, exposing Regina's dripping core entirely.

"Jesus," Emma said in reverence as her gaze zeroed in on the wetness between Regina's thighs.

With an experimental finger, Emma brought her index up to the bottom of Regina slit and stroked up, collecting as much wetness as she could. Regina moaned at the sensation, tilting her head back and shutting her eyes as her pelvis rocked closer to Emma. Bringing the finger to her lips for a taste, Emma waited until Regina opened her eyes to watch her as she sucked her finger clean, loving the tangy taste that was uniquely Regina.

"I thought your weapon wasn't your fingers," Regina reminded, though the pleading in her tone didn't go unnoticed.

Emma smirked before pushing the back of Regina's thighs higher, opening up her heat before bringing her mouth down to lap at the wetness coating her folds.

"God," Regina groaned at the first contact.

Emma grinned into her, licking up and down her slit, teasing Regina's entrance. When a hand snaked into Emma's hair, the blonde took the hint and thrust her tongue into Regina's waiting heat already feeling the the pull of her muscles. The grip in her hair had Regina encouraging her, asking silently for more.

Emma grinned again before pulling away entirely, enjoying the small whimper and wide eyes from Regina when Emma sat up and crawled over to her. Before Regina could even think to ask why Emma stopped, Emma kissed her fully, letting her tongue explore the older woman's making sure she knew just how good she tasted.

"You taste so good," Emma voiced kissing her again as her core unintentionally ground against Regina's.

They both moaned out from the unexpected contact, but Regina pulled Emma's lips to hers in an attempt to swallow the noise before it got too loud.

"Then why did you stop?"

Emma understood the implication and didn't need to be told twice. In a moment her mouth was on Regina, making the older woman fall back onto the bed and arch her back. She needed Emma to touch her, to kiss and suck her _there_.

With a strangled cry from Regina, Emma thrust her tongue into her core once more before completely sucking her throbbing clit into her mouth. Regina pressed further into Emma's mouth, her hips wanton as they sought the sweet and delicious attention Emma was providing. She alternated between flicking and lapping then moving to her entrance again to thrust her tongue inside her before moving back to her aching nub.

The breathless pants and the gush of wetness let Emma know that Regina was close and with a firm suck and with two fingers plunging into Regina, the brunette came hard all over Emma's mouth. She twisted her fingers, groaning at the muscles that squeezed them tightly as her head bobbed up and down with Regina. Soon, Regina eased her hips down permanently, her thighs quivering to the touch as Emma pulled out her fingers and gave Regina's core one final kiss before crawling up and over the panting brunette.

Regina's eyes fluttered open with a lazy smirk on her face as she tugged Emma down onto her, the mouths instantly seeking each other.

"You said you wouldn't use your hands," Regina muttered against pink lips.

"I don't hear you complaining." Emma pressed their lips together again before laying down on the older woman, half her body on Regina's torso while the other half lay on the bed.

Regina shrugged coyly as her lips moved from Emma's mouth down the sleek column of her throat. She easily moved aside letting the younger woman lay on her stomach on the bed before curling up over her and pulling them up on their sides with Emma's back pressed against Regina's front. Regina kept her mouth on the base of Emma's neck, sucking and kissing lazily as perfectly manicured fingers trailed over Emma's breasts, her nipples pebbling at the touch alone. Her mouth never wavered once as her hand continued southward, pressed firmly against pale, goosebumped flesh, until it reached the apex of Emma's thighs where the blonde moaned out in anticipation, clutching the free arm Regina had wrapped around the younger woman from behind to keep her steady.

Instinctively, Emma parted her legs, her right moving behind Regina's as the brunette used her right knee to place it against Emma's dripping mound. The blonde ground automatically upon contact, but Regina removed it just out of her reach and tsked in her ear. Before Emma could argue or beg, Regina inserted a finger into Emma, thrusting once then twice before adding a second and then applying pressure from her knee.

Emma gasped at the pleasant intrusion, bringing Regina's arm up to her face to bite down on the moan that desperately wanted to escape. She licked the bite mark but continued to rock with the rhythm of Regina's fingers while the brunette absent-mindedly continued sucking on Emma as if she wasn't bringing the blonde to the best orgasm of her life.

The heated make out sessions and this morning especially had been a wicked form of foreplay for Emma, and with deeper thrusts and harder more precise grinds, Emma was coming, her mouth opened in a silent scream before Regina forced her head to turn back and swallow the sound that was sure to come out when she added her thumb to Emma's clit. Emma tore her mouth away releasing a guttural growl as another wave of pleasure took hold of her. It was only due to Regina's right hold on her did she not thrash uncontrollably.

Her hips eventually stopped rocking, and when Regina moved her knee and let her fingers slip away, Emma turned suddenly in her eyes and kissed the brunette senseless.

Emma pulled back, her eyes back to their normal blue-green but there was a hint of wonder and amazement in them as she lowered her forehead onto Regina's and breathed out contentedly.

"What's a girl like you doing with a girl like me?" She asked again, quietly but seeking a true answer.

Regina weaved her behind the base of her neck and smiled up at her. Her own eyes were wide and vulnerable, but there was no way she could deny what she was feeling at that moment.

"I must really like you," Regina whispered, her fingers playing with strands of sweaty blonde locks.

"Thank god for my natural charm," Emma smirked lowering her head to kiss the brunette's nose.

They peppered kisses on one another, wrapped in each other's embrace whispering into the darkness. Neither had ever held such a substantial relationship in years, but they were both beginning to realize just how easy it was simply holding on to one another. They were both beginning to realize that it was becoming much more than simply liking each other.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer in Chapter One**

**AN: The response to the last chapter was crazy! I'm so glad you enjoyed it as a whole with fluffy Regina/Henry moments and lovin' between the ladies. You guys are great! So this chapter is when Emma and Henry officially meet Cora. I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Emma carried up a crate full of shot glasses from The Wooden Whale's basement. When she first started working at the bar, it amazed her how many glasses August went through in a month alone what with people breaking them in their drunken haze and excitement. Not to mention the amount of glasses Emma herself broke when she first learned how to toss them around none too gracefully. It took her a few months to finally pay August back for all those broken dishes, but the practice had made her one of the best.

Every few months August would close down the bar for a day or two and take inventory, recording what needed to be restocked, what he could stop buying, and if anything needed replacing. So far, they could use a new pool table and fix one of the speakers in the back. As tedious as a task it was, Emma loved inventory days. She was usually home by dinner and August paid overtime, so it was a win-win for the manager.

She hummed along as Survivor blared over the speakers, using her back to open the door that led to the bar to find Ruby sitting cross-legged on the bar counter with a newspaper in front of her and a clipboard in her lap as August called out how much alcohol was still on shelf.

Ruby looked up when Emma placed the crate on the counter and lifted herself up to turn onto the other side. The brunette grinned wickedly. "Hey, Mystery Woman."

"What?" Emma asked, rinsing out the shot glasses and placing them in their proper spots.

August laughed from under the counter. "You haven't seen, have you?"

"Seen what?"

He popped out with empty bottles in his arms and deposited them into a box for recycling.

Ruby held up the paper and made a show out of clearing her throat. "Also seen at Jefferson Hatter's opening gallery was Regina Mills accompanied by an unnamed woman featured left."

She held up the aged paper from over two weeks ago and showed Emma the picture of herself and Regina outside Jefferson's party. Emma furrowed her brows and crossed the bar to get a good look at the picture. She remembered hearing Regina's mom saying something about it but actually seeing it with her own eyes was different. Regina looked poised and elegant as always, but even Emma could see that she looked uncomfortable with a forced tight smile on her face. She cringed remembering that night.

"Why do you still have this?"

"'Cause my little princess is growing up," August teased squeezing the blonde's cheeks before she could swat him away. "I was thinking of getting it blown up and framing it on the wall so that people will know you used to work here before you leave us when you become famous and Regina's trophy wife."

Emma glared lightly pushing him away before returning to putting the glasses on the racks.

"You looked hot," Ruby offered taking back the paper. "The dress suits you."

"They didn't think so," Emma muttered under her breath.

"Who said that?" August asked as he continued with his counting.

"If you ever run into a woman named Maleficent, stomp on her overpriced Manolo Blahniks."

Ruby gave a dutiful salute in confirmation. "So it wasn't fun?" She asked making a note to order more gin.

Emma shrugged. "It's not my scene."

"Why do you keep going?" August stopped his counting and moved to leaning on the counter beside Ruby.

"Yeah, you're going to one next week, aren't you?" The brunette added.

Both her friends had stopped working and were staring expectantly at Emma. She ran a hand through her hair feeling like this was an interrogation. She nodded, hoping that was enough to provide an answer, but their intent glares told her she wasn't so lucky.

"Regina asks me to go, and the one next week is a small party thing at her studio, so I kind of have to go to that one," Emma offered.

"Wow," August said with a smirk. "You're whipped."

Ruby provided the whipping noise almost immediately.

Emma glared with her hands on her hips. "I am not whipped."

"You've given up more shifts and taken day shifts in the time that you've known her than all the time you've been working here," he pointed out. "Have her swirling chocolate eyes, lean, languid frame, and voice that sounds like sex after months of separation really tamed the famous Emma Swan?"

Emma glared at his comments. She hated that he could get all poetry and stuff whenever he teased her, but his previous observations hadn't been wrong.

August suddenly turned serious eyeing the blonde. "Are you gonna make rent this month?"

Emma's mouth opened at the question. She was initially offended at his audacity, but when she thought about it, Emma began to realize that it was a legitimate concern. She knit her eyebrows thinking back to how much she had made this month, how many times she had given away a shift and mentally added up all that she had to pay off. _Crap_. She forgot Henry's birthday present was a pretty penny. Plus she had to pay to get her car fixed last week. She refused to tap into Henry's college fund, but she had some saved for a rainy day. She hoped.

"Yeah," Emma answered but her voice was uncertain. "Yeah, I'm good this month."

"Emma," August said sternly.

"Really," she replied turning her back and getting to work. "I've got it covered."

"All right, princess," August sighed. Emma didn't miss the look he gave Ruby indicating he didn't believe the blonde one bit.

"Don't call me that," she groaned.

"I like Mystery Woman," Ruby decided. "You got a Jessica Rabbit thing going on here with that."

Emma and August shook their heads laughing while Ruby squinted. "What? She does." She scooted off the counter and sauntered over to Emma, lacing her arm through the blonde's and turning her away from her task. "So what do you do at these things?"

Before Emma could answer, Ruby tugged them over to August who tilted one side of his mouth up in amusement. Ruby lowered her voice to a husky octave and narrowed her eyes, her lips pouting suggestively. "I'm Regina Mills, and this is my lover, Emma."

Emma laughed out loud stealing her arm back. "One: she does not sound like that. Two: she would never introduce me as her lover."

"This is what I pay you guys for?" August muttered to himself before grabbing the full box of recyclables and moving around the counter. "You guys better be working by the time I get back."

They ignored him as he left the bar, leaving a flustered Emma and a determined Ruby behind the bar. The brunette grinned and hopped back up on the counter, her stilettos crossed about her ankles lithely. "So you're really just arm candy, huh?"

"I am not," she huffed, grabbing Ruby's clipboard and crouching down to complete August's job. "I talk to her friends, and we discuss art and stuff."

"Sounds boring."

"Told you, not my thing."

"Well here." Ruby's long arm span allowed her to reach over and tug Emma up. The confused blonde wasn't given a chance to speak when Ruby pressed Emma's shoulders back, tilted her chin upwards and forced the blonde to make eye contact. "No one will give you trouble if you walk around like you own the place."

The brunette slid off the counter and surveyed the blonde, walking around her and making adjustments to her posture. "Talk like you know what you're talking about. Rule of thumb when you're feeling lost: talk about them."

"Why would I do that?" Emma turned her head to question but Ruby forced Emma's chin back keeping her posture and poise.

"Because everyone loves talking about themselves, and I'm sure Regina would appreciate it," the brunette winked saucily as she made her way back to Emma's front.

"How do you know this'll work?" The blonde asked warily. "Those people can smell the subway on me."

Ruby grinned. "How do you think I got this job?"

* * *

"You look marvellous, darling," Regina whispered in Emma's ear as the blonde toyed with a loose strand of hair in front of the mirror.

The party had been in full swing when she had arrived at Regina's studio, and already Emma had gulped down two glasses of champagne. The new deep midnight blue dress bedazzled with beads along the collar had not been easy to swing by, but she needed to rectify how she had acted the last time she was at one of these things. Plus the look on Regina's face as she took in the dress with the low v-neckline made Emma grin foolishly.

Feeling Regina's breath in her ear, Emma relaxed her shoulders and held her head high, her chin tilted up just as Ruby had showed her and her eyes dark and narrowed, taking in the scene. She didn't know any of the suits or fancy dresses milling about the studio as they networked with one another, and quite frankly, in any other circumstance she wouldn't give a damn to find out, but this was an occasion for Regina. This was Regina's turn to expand her horizons and get her name out there on her own accord. The woman deserved Emma on her best behaviour, and she was going to give it to her. With a peck to her cheek, Emma took two flute glasses off a passing waiter and handed one to Regina before leading the woman around the room where some of her past work stood on display.

Regina stopped them by a man nursing a tumbler of scotch, and Emma and Regina alike refrained from outwardly rolling their eyes as they watched him ogle any and all woman walking on two legs.

"Victor," Regina tapped his shoulder lightly gaining his undivided attention as he raked his eyes up both women. "It's good to see you here."

"Likewise," Victor winked.

With a hand on her lower back, Regina pressed Emma forward though kept her close. "Allow me to introduce my partner. Emma Swan."

Emma gulped lightly mentally rehearsing every single step she had to take into account. She tended bars every night. Working a room of dignified stiffs couldn't be harder than wrangling a bunch of drunk college boys. Though judging by the look on this guy's face he could be classified as a college boy from an Ivy League.

She tilted her chin upwards and smiled dazzlingly, her eyes lighting up to show sincerity before she extended her hand. "How do you do?"

"Better now." Victor took her hand and held it in his for much too long since Regina very obviously drew Emma back to her. "I see Regina's met a fine catch."

"Have you seen her work?" Emma said motioning about the room before smiling at Regina. "She has quite the eye."

"That I believe." His eyes were predatory, but Emma made it a point to sidle closer to Regina, her arm wrapped possessively around the older woman's waist.

Regina's name called from the other side of the room caught their attention. The brunette looked loathed to leave, either because she didn't want to leave Emma alone with Victor or because Emma tended to run her mouth when she was alone was a toss up, but with an apologetic frown Regina excused herself, not before whispering into Emma's ear. "Watch for his hands."

Emma nodded minutely as she sipped her champagne.

As soon as Regina was out of earshot, Victor closed the distance between them. "So what do you do that impressed the elusive Regina Mills?"

Emma knew admitting her occupation would get her scorn, but she wasn't about to lie. Though how cool would it be to pretend to be some celebrity for the evening? Instead she did what she does best and worked at making the patrons she was serving feel good. "It could have easily been you. Let me guess. Lawyer?"

"Doctor," Victor answered with a smug grin.

Emma quirked her eyebrows feigning impression, but the man bought it nonetheless.

"I'm a buyer," Victor continued as his eyes trailed up and down Emma's body. "I have a taste for the fine arts."

"I'm sure you do," she murmured into her glass.

"She is a very lucky lady," he insisted, his voice lowering an octave.

Emma bit her tongue, desperately wanting to knee this guy in the balls and then some. Instead she smiled politely, watching as he took another step forward to close the gap between them. Before he could successfully complete his task, Emma held out a hand and pressed it on his shoulder, pushing him away gently but firmly under the guise of inspecting his suit. "A doctor huh? That explains this Armani suit."

He chuckled appreciatively, straightening his tie before sipping his scotch. "There are benefits to the job."

"Tell me about them."

Emma stood there listening to him going on and on about his lavish lifestyle and all his successful surgeries as she tried her very best to seem interested, nodding politely and making sounds of acknowledgment. It worked since he continued oblivious to Emma's feigned disinterest. With a dazzling smile and a hand on his arm, Emma excused herself, relieved when he didn't follow though she felt his eyes on her ass as she left.

She milled about aimlessly, casting a glance to Regina across the room who was still engaged in conversation with an older gentleman she had met at Jefferson's. The soft sound of Regina's laughter seemed to travel across the room landing on Emma's ear. The blonde smiled softly as soon as she locked gazes with Regina who subtly turned her attention from the man to Emma, brown eyes twinkling with mirth and plump red lips quirking upwards before her attention moved back to the man. In her distraction, Emma backed into someone, the surprised yelp from the other person causing her to jump.

"I'm so sorry," Emma turned reaching a hand out in apology.

"It's perfectly all right." The woman she had backed into smiled, her petite stature deceiving her impassive pixie-like face.

She was perfectly put together though looking quite simple in her navy blue long sleeve dress and primmed brunette locks, and despite her friendly tone, there was something about her that made Emma wary.

"Ghorm," the woman said extending her hand. "Rachel Ghorm."

"Emma Swan." Emma took the proffered hand in hers with a firm shake.

Rachel pressed a finger to her chin as she narrowed her eyes in recognition. "I've seen you in the paper with Regina."

"Yes," she smiled. "That would be me."

"My, you're nearly famous."

Emma chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry, I can't say I know who you are."

"That's okay," Rachel's eyes twinkled knowingly as they walked along the floor-to-ceiling windows where Regina's collection from the youth center was displayed on stands. "I've been following her work since she came out, and I have to say I've noticed a difference in it."

"She likes her black and white prints, that's for sure," Emma agreed motioning to the collection done exclusively in that colour tone.

"What do you think changed?" Rachel turned an inquisitive head toward Emma, eyeing the blonde as if her answer was a make-or-break decision.

Emma swallowed the final swig of her champagne, eyeing the room and Regina's various pictures in it hoping to buy herself some time. By the time she pulled the flute away, she tilted her head realizing it would be futile to bullshit. She hadn't known Regina for long but watching her at her shoot at the center was one of Emma's fondest memories of her. She knew Regina loved what she did, but watching her at the center brought a sparkle to chocolate eyes that even Emma couldn't deny.

"I think she's finally getting a feel for where she belongs," Emma answered eventually.

"What do you mean by that?" Rachel narrowed her eyes curiously.

"Well like these ones," the blonde motioned to the photos before them, one of a four year old with a basketball much too big for his size in his hands as he looked up to the net with the shadow of an older teen over him in the same position. "You see a lot more of Regina's personality in this set of pictures alone versus the ones she did before." Emma nodded her head to the other side of the room but quickly held out her hand in reassurance. "Not that those weren't any good, I mean they were, I think she's great, but these ones, she put herself in these ones and it shows."

Rachel smiled lightly and nodded her head. "Well it was very nice to meet you Emma Swan."

Emma watched the small woman walk away but was instantly greeted by Regina returning to her, casting a look over her shoulder as Rachel stopped her for a moment to talk briefly with Regina before finally reaching Emma. Within moments of kissing her cheek, Emma was swept away making small talk with the crowd with Regina by her side.

* * *

Emma leaned against the hallway wall as Regina locked up her studio, frowning at her phone as she replayed the voicemail she had just listened to from her landlord in her head. It was no surprise she was late on rent again. The lady who had been her landlord was more than lenient with Emma, sympathizing with her situation and allowing payments to be late with no immediate repercussions, but this time she wasn't sure if she had the money to pay her, not until well into the month at least, and Emma was sure even kind Mrs. Johnson wouldn't stand for that. She could ask the bank for a loan, but she knew the interest rates weren't worth a couple hundred bucks for right now. Ruby would definitely lend her the money, but she already owed her from the last time she was down on funds, and there was no way in hell she was asking her boss for a hand even if he was more a friend than authority figure most times. She bit her lip and shook her head. Looks like she was going to have to make a trip to the bank tomorrow.

"What's wrong?" Emma snapped her head up and quickly hid her phone in her bag as if the mere presence of the device would reveal her problems to Regina who had snuck up in front of her.

Emma smiled weakly and shook her head. "Ready to go?"

"Emma," Regina insisted, tugging the blonde when she pushed off the wall. "Did someone say something again?"

"I was on my best behaviour."

"I wasn't talking about yours. I was asking about theirs."

Emma's lip twitched upward, mentally fist pumping in a small victory that Regina trusted her. "Victor was kind of gross, but I've dealt with his kind before."

Regina closed the gap, placing a soft kiss on the corner of her lips. "That's not all, is it?"

"It's nothing," Emma insisted, lacing their fingers together as she walked them down the stairs. Her voice was uncertain and her tone was flat, but Emma hoped that Regina didn't question her. When the brunette stopped them just short of the exit with a look that told her they would not be moving unless Emma caved, the blonde sighed dejectedly, pulling her hand away from Regina's and hugging her own waist tightly. "I'm just late on my rent again is all."

Regina pursed her lips and furrowed her brows. "That wouldn't have you so flustered as you are now."

"It isn't the first time I'm behind on bills," Emma admitted.

"But," Regina offered slowly before her mouth formed a small 'o' in realization. She stepped closer and placed a tentative hand on Emma's wrist. "It's the first time you can't pay it?"

Emma averted her gaze, her cheeks blushing pink as her body tensed tightly even under the warmth of Regina's palm. "It's fine."

Regina caught Emma's chin forcing the blonde to look at her. Green eyes shifted desperately, but eventually they landed permanently Regina's. "I can help-"

"No." Emma pulled back her chin immediately and winced at Regina's face of rejection. "I mean, I just, I can get by. I can pick up more shifts and-"

"Isn't Henry's Thanksgiving recital this week?"

"Yeah, but-"

"No." Regina's tone was firm and not to be messed with, and it was reminiscent of when Emma initially met the woman. "You will not be missing his recital under any circumstance."

"He'd understand-"

"Have you missed any before?" Emma shook her head looking sheepish. "Then this will not be the first. Is that clear?"

Emma nodded her head, the blush on her cheeks darkening.

"Let me help you," Regina implored, her voice significantly softer from the authoritative tone she had just taken with Emma.

Emma shifted from foot to foot as her gaze drifted downwards. After what felt like long minutes, she looked up at Regina from under her lashes, a meek and nervous expression plastered on her face that usually held such confidence. "I'll pay you back."

"Dear, you're already forced into dinner with my mother. Consider it compensation." Regina held her breath hoping Emma would take the rare joke she had made to lighten to the situation.

"I will," Emma promised whole heartedly.

Regina nodded and untangled Emma's arms from around her waist to reclaim the blonde's fingers as she pushed open the door and stepped out into the late night air. The sound of their heels clicked rhythmically along the sidewalk as they walked down the street toward her Benz. She wasn't sure if staying over at Emma's tonight was still an option since the blonde still seemed uncomfortable about their prior conversation, but as soon as Emma released their hands to wrap her arm around Regina's shoulder, the brunette knew the worst had passed.

By the time they were on their way back to Emma's, Regina kept her gaze focused on the road as she contemplated just how to bring up what she wanted to ask Emma for a majority of the night.

Her concentrated face wasn't lost on the blonde, and soon, Emma had draped her hand by Regina's headrest and nudged the brunette. "Your turn."

"What for?" Regina questioned as she made a turn onto the interstate.

"What's on your mind?"

Regina sighed but it didn't take long for her to realize Emma had shared a bigger problem than hers. "What did you say to Rachel Ghorm?"

"The fifties looking lady?" Emma clarified, receiving an affirmative nod from Regina. The blonde suddenly looked panicked and sat up straighter in her seat, turning to face Regina. "Why? Did she say something to you?"

"She complimented me on my work," Regina answered though she sounded disbelieving.

"Oh?" Emma sat back in her seat thoroughly confused. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Of course not. She's just never done that before."

"You need some new friends," Emma muttered under her breath.

"She's not my friend, she's a critic," Regina explained with a quirk to her lips. "And she has never once given me a positive review. Until now."

Emma beamed and sat up again. "Look at you impressing stiff critics. What did she say?"

Regina paused at a red light and looked intently at Emma as she quoted the woman's words. "'Whatever is inspiring you, hold on to it.'"

The corner of Emma's lips tilted upwards under Regina's stare until it turned into a full blown smile. "Yeah, maybe you should."

Regina rolled her eyes and stepped on the gas when the light turned green. "If you handled Rachel Ghorm perhaps my mother won't be such a terrifying event after all."

* * *

"Regina," Emma sat on the brunette's bed as Regina fussed over her hair. She had just changed into a fourth dress for the evening and already Emma could see that she was deeming it unacceptable. "Regina."

The brunette didn't hear her, muttering something in Spanish as she retreated to her closet, and if Emma's knowledge of the language was correct, she was pretty sure it was a curse. They were preparing to get ready to leave for long awaited dinner with Cora Mills.

Emma, dressed in a simple green cocktail dress courtesy of the one time she tended a wedding, and Henry dressed impeccably in a little suit had arrived at Regina's condo early. Henry had insisted, making the claim that he had never been there before and it was about time he got to know Regina's place. His face was priceless when they stepped into the lobby and had even tossed a penny into the fountain. Emma didn't have it in her to say she was pretty sure he wasn't allowed to do that. Instead, she ushered him to the elevator and into Regina's condo where Henry's eyes instantly widened at the size and cleanliness. He was now sitting downstairs, watching cartoons on Regina's flat screen as Emma continued trying to get the brunette's attention.

"Regina," Emma enunciated the name in a sing-song voice.

"What?" Regina snapped.

"Can you relax?" Emma asked standing from the bed and cornering the brunette in her closet where she found Regina attempting to zip up dress number five, which was really just a high waisted skirt coupled with a purple sleeveless blouse. She caught Regina's hand behind her back and helped ease the zipper the rest of the way, leaving her hands to rest on the older woman's hips as she placed a sweet kiss on the side of her neck. "You look phenomenal in whatever you wear. And your Spanish is hot."

Regina turned, glaring at Emma's afterthought only to receive an unapologetic smirk from the blonde.

"I know your mom is a little on the scary side, but I promise, she will love me," Emma insisted holding Regina's face between her palms. "And if she doesn't we have Henry to turn on the cuteness."

Regina relaxed at that, falling easily into Emma's support as she pressed closer, but the nervousness and fear in her eyes didn't dissipate. "Just, be careful what you say around her, and don't take anything she says too personally."

"Okay." Emma searched Regina's eyes, suddenly uncertain about the emotion she found in them. She remembered how scared Regina was a couple weeks ago when Cora came banging on her door unannounced, but she had attributed that to sheer panic of almost having her mom walk in on her while she was making out with the girlfriend she had yet to tell her mother about. But this fear was something Emma had seen far too often for her liking and had even seen it reflected in her own eyes in one or two foster homes. How bad could Cora Mills possibly be?

* * *

"Woah," Henry whispered as they approached the mansion. Even Emma had to refrain herself from mimicking her son's word choice as they drove up in Regina's Benz to the residence of Cora Mills.

The mansion was huge, far larger than even Jefferson's, and Emma thought that was outrageous. Its dark exterior would have blended in with the night if it weren't for the floodlights lining the house distinguishing it from the dark. They had bypassed a gate to enter, and the amount of land on the drive up was big enough to build a plaza on. Emma had only seen these houses in movies. Never in her life did she think this was actually real and she'd be experiencing it first hand.

"You used to live here?" Henry asked in awe as they pulled up in front of the house.

"Yes," Regina answered flatly. Emma whipped her head to the brunette. Regina never talked to Henry like that. She was always enthusiastic and indulgent whenever the boy was curious with questions or observations, but Regina simply sat in the driver's seat clutching the wheel tightly as she stared up at her childhood home.

Henry, blessed with youth ignorance, didn't catch Regina's tone and eagerly unbuckled his seat belt. He didn't bother waiting for the adults to come out and hopped out of the car, examining the house and its many statues lining the entrance.

"Regina?" Emma asked quietly, unraveling the brunette's grip on the wheel. "It'll be okay."

Regina scoffed. "Unlikely."

"You know, I had crappy foster parents before," the blonde tried.

"I love my mother," Regina insisted like a mantra.

Emma nodded, squeezing the hand between hers before she leaned over the gear shift and cupped Regina's face, kissing her languidly until she responded willingly.

"Feel better?" Emma asked quietly with their foreheads pressed together.

Regina nodded, her eyes still closed from the kiss before a soft smile graced her features. "Thank you."

"Don't worry. After this, we'll go home and laugh about all the awkward tension that will sure be happening tonight."

"'Home'?" Regina repeated hesitantly.

Emma inhaled sharply realizing her slip up. Regina and Emma were no strangers to sleepovers, though they were relegated to Emma's apartment since they both agreed Henry would be comfortable in his own bed rather than the couch in Regina's condo. The brunette's presence in her life and in her home was becoming more and more natural with Emma even surprising Regina at her studio throughout the day. It was hard not to think that the space they occupied together looked like a home. "Yeah," Emma stuttered. "I mean, unless you're too tired or something."

Regina grinned and was the one to initiate the next kiss, all lips and pleased pressure. "Then let's get this dinner over with."

* * *

A manservant met them at the entrance, already shedding their coats for them while another stood with a tray of champagne. Regina and Emma took one, and though Henry attempted at conning his way for a taste, they were ushered into the study, a room made of dark mahogany decorated with black leather chairs surrounding a blazing stone fireplace. With a promise that Cora would be arriving to meet them any minute, the trio sat on the couch with Henry nestled in between them. He was fidgeting, eager to explore, but a calming hand on his shoulder from his mother told him he had to restrain himself.

He kept himself busy by taking everything in with his eyes, surveying the large desk in front of the maroon tapestry-draped windows and floor to ceiling book case before finally settling on the family portrait that hung over the fireplace. He nudged Regina before pointing up at the painting. "That's you?"

Regina followed his gaze and smiled softly at the portrait of herself and her parents when she was eighteen. Her mother sat in a chair before her and her father where Regina had sidled up next to the man, a genuine smile on her face. "Yes, it is."

"Where's your dad?" Henry asked, staring up at the good looking tan man with his arm around his daughter.

"He passed away almost five years after that painting was done," Regina answered quietly, unconsciously leaning into the arm that Emma had weaved around her shoulders.

"Oh," Henry said meekly. "My dad's gone too, but it's okay because my mom took good care of me."

"That I did," Emma teased, patting down Henry's hair.

"Never forget how lucky you are to have Emma as your mother," Regina whispered to him with a grin before kissing his forehead.

"Regina." All three turned their head at the sound and looked to find Cora standing in the doorway, he hair up in an intricate updo looking powerful in her pantsuit.

Emma involuntarily gulped as they all stood to greet the woman as she walked into the room. She had never physically met Cora, only having heard her voice and that alone sent chills up Emma's spine. Despite her small stature, Cora walked with an air of authority, no doubt something Regina had inherited, but with dark beady eyes, Emma could already sense why Regina was so fearful of this woman.

"Mother," Regina greeted meeting the woman halfway to give her a light kiss on the cheek before turning to motion to Emma and Henry, the blonde with her hands around her son's shoulders keeping him close to her. "May I introduce Emma Swan and her son, Henry. This is my mother, Cora Mills."

Emma remembered herself and smiled politely, moving with Henry to offer her hand. "Hi. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Of course," Cora replied only briefly taking Emma's hand. "Though I wish we would have met before my daughter plastered your relationship in the paper." She turned a bright smile to Henry, oblivious to the dumbfounded looks on both Regina and Emma's face. "Hello."

"Hello," he responded shyly. "You have a really nice home."

"So well-mannered," Cora noticed quite impressed with a nod to Regina as if she was solely responsible for Henry's manners. She straightened and turned, already halfway to the door. "Come along."

The dining room, like any other room in the house, was decorated in dark woods of black, brown, and deep red. Emma had imagined the table would have been one of those fifteen foot dining room tables where passing the salt from one end to the other would have called for a small game of hot potato, but seeing the dining room table that looked like one in a model home, large and decorated with flowers and candles and never used before now, Emma felt marginally better.

Cora sat at the head then directed Regina to her right and Emma to her left where Henry rushed to sit next to his mother. The man who had greeted them with drinks at the door returned and poured each adult a glass of wine and poured Henry sparkling water in his own wine glass. Emma smirked as the boy drank eagerly from the glass.

"Are we waiting for someone?" Regina asked indicating the place setting beside her.

Cora raised an eyebrow at her daughter. "Did you forget that Killian would be joining us for dinner?"

"I assumed it would have been canceled considering Emma and Henry are here."

"Nonsense," Cora smiled before turning toward Emma. "Killian Jones is an old friend of the family. He and Regina grew up together. They were inseparable in their youth."

"Oh," Emma said with a nervous chuckle and a forced smile. Perhaps she shouldn't have based tonight's events on the size of the dinner table. She caught Regina's apologetic eye from across the table, shrugging lightly in reassurance before directing her gaze back to Cora. "He sounds like a good friend."

"I was more than a friend, love." Killian Jones, entering the dining room looking every bit as the tall, dark, and handsome man Emma assumed he would be, stalked right up to Cora and gave the older woman a hug before stopping by Regina and taking her hand in his and pulling her up from her chair, placing a lingering kiss on her cheek.

Regina tensed under his lips and glared at him before pulling away and sitting back down in her seat. He made his way over to Emma and took her hand in his bringing her knuckles to his lips as he kept his blue steely gaze on hers. "And you must be Emma Swan."

"Yeah," Emma replied tightly pulling her hand back uncomfortably. She draped a hand behind Henry's back and said pointedly. "And this is my son."

To Emma's surprise, Killian crouched down by Henry's chair and held out his hand, allowing the boy to shake it. "You've got a strong young lad here, Swan."

He didn't wait for a response and moved around the table to sit next to Regina, winking at the brunette before holding out his hand, and within moments, a tumbler of whiskey was in his hand. "I apologize for my late arrival. There were some shipments I had to take care of by the docks."

"It's quite all right, Killian," Cora conceded for him then turned toward Emma. "Killian and his family import fine jewels from all over the world. What is it that you do again?"

Emma widened her eyes momentarily knowing just how bad a dancing bartender sounded being compared to an importer and the CEO of a hotel chain. Thankfully the soup was served before them, earning the blonde a few precious minutes to work out a suitable answer in her head. She stalled further though by tasting the Italian wedding soup, hoping to gain points for complimenting Cora on it, but the older woman dismissed it claiming she had a renowned personal chef in the kitchen. Under Cora's scrutiny, Emma finally answered her question. "I'm a manager at a speciality bar downtown. The Wooden Whale."

"The Wooden Whale," Killian chuckled at the name. "I can only imagine what its speciality is."

"We entertain," Emma insisted narrowing her eyes at the man who kept stealing glances at Regina thinking Emma hadn't noticed. "We can juggle the bottles and pour fire shots." Emma took a moment to add as an afterthought. "And dance."

"Impressive," Cora drawled. "So it's like a circus."

"No, Mother," Regina piped up.

"My mom says they're like the Harlem Globetrotters of bartending," Henry added as he slurped his soup.

The adults turned to him, Emma patting his back affectionately while Regina smiled at him sincerely.

"I'm sorry, I'm unfamiliar with that term, but I assume that's a good thing what with Emma being the manager and all," Cora replied coolly. "Though you serving alcohol around your son is a little disconcerting."

"What?" Emma couldn't help but snap. "I've never brought him to work with me."

Cora didn't have to reply. The accepting condescending look was enough of an answer that no matter what Emma said, the preconceived notions the older woman had already made of her were her template.

"Mother," Regina pleaded, pressing her hand against Cora's wrist. "Emma is the best employee at her job and she is more than capable of being responsible for her son."

Cora's eyes simply moved to their connection and Regina released her as if she had been burned. Her mother glared between the two women before snapping at her butler to take her bowl away. Soon enough their soup bowls were removed and replaced with their meal consisting of a large helping of salmon, steak for Killian, grilled vegetables and roasted potatoes.

"So how is your picture taking, dear?" Cora asked as she divvied up her salmon into slices.

"I imagined you would have retreated back into the family business by now," Killian commented cutting into his steak.

"Very well," Regina spoke up more confidently than she had all evening. "I believe Ms. Ghorm is coming around, and that's all thanks to Emma."

Regina smiled brightly at the blonde with Emma returning the gesture.

"To Ms. Swan?" Cora asked. "I would have hoped your work would have spoken for itself. Tell me, Emma, what did you have to do to soften up one of Regina's toughest critics."

Emma frowned at Cora's statement, noting the smile suddenly gone from Regina's face and replaced with rigidity and distant eyes. Emma had seen that look before, and it pained her to realize she had seen it on Henry whenever she was called in for work on short notice. It was disappointment and practiced indifference. It was something Regina, a grown independent woman with a career to her name, nor Henry should ever have to feel. She stared directly at Cora, matching the intensity in the nearly black eyes that bore into her. "I told her the truth. Regina can take good pictures, that much is obvious, but she's found her niche. She's found the genre of photography that she excels at, and she doesn't need someone like Rachel Ghorm to tell her that she's good at her job."

The table was quiet at Emma's firm argument. Cora matched Emma's defiant gaze while Killian looked bored with the turn of conversation. Regina, however, looked impassive, but Emma could see from the slightly widened eyes that seemed to have glossed over that the brunette was grateful yet amazed. Henry, for his part, only looked up with the sudden silence but quickly dove back into his roasted potatoes.

Emma tilted her chin upward, daring Cora to counter her statements before speaking again. "I think you should be proud to have a daughter like Regina."

"I am," Cora insisted with a raise of her eyebrow.

The blonde sipped her wine glass and shrugged noncommittally, mimicking Cora's air of indifference. "I'm sure."

"So a bar, Swan?" Killian asked as the tension between the two glaring women grew to the point of uncomfortable."You must meet a lot of colourful people."

"I've also met colourful people at Regina's galleries," Emma replied smartly popping a broccoli in her mouth. "They're not privy to backstreets of New York."

Killian grinned before turning to face Regina. "Do you remember the weekend after your debutante ball we found ourselves at one of Jefferson's more flamboyant parties with performers hanging from the ceiling and him claiming it was art?"

Emma smirked into her glass when she saw the woman in front of her struggle to refrain from rolling her eyes as she chewed slowly, stalling from answering his question for as long as possible.

Regina finally swallowed and turned with a tight smile. "I remember you sneaking off with several of the performers there that night."

"To do what?" Henry piped up playing with his vegetables.

Emma snorted and bit her lip to refrain from laughing while Regina blushed and Killian raised an eyebrow to the boy. Cora examined them all carefully.

"Perhaps you can ask him, dear," Regina said jokingly.

Killian leaned closer toward the table and grinned at Henry. "It's just you and your mother, is it?" Henry nodded. "Ask me again when you're thirteen."

"Ah, no." Emma wrapped an arm protectively around Henry.

"What's a debutante ball?" Henry asked since his first question didn't receive a sufficient answer.

"When Regina turned eighteen, she received a ball to present her coming of age as a woman to the public," Cora answered fondly. "Killian, you were her escort for the evening."

He grinned winking at Regina, but it was the arm he draped over her chair that had Emma clenching her jaw.

Henry scrunched up his nose. "So you two dated?"

"Yes."

"No." Regina's voice was firm as she set her cutlery down a little too harshly.

"Regina," Cora scolded. "We're all adults here, save for the child. Past relationships are not ones to be ashamed of."

"Yes, well I wouldn't consider escorting someone to family functions while disappearing every hour doing god knows what with god knows who as dating," Regina said shortly. She softened her tone when she spoke to Henry, whispering conspiratorially across the table. "I have much better taste."

"Regina!" Cora hissed over Henry's giggle and Emma's proud smirk.

Regina whipped her eyes back to her mother but offered no apology. Killian laughed before sipping from his tumbler. "Same Regina. Fiery as always."

"You wouldn't know," Regina grimaced.

"You would, wouldn't you, love?" Killian leered at Emma knowingly.

The 'yes' was on the tip of Emma's tongue begging to be released to wipe that all-knowing grin off the man's face. She would have loved to have a claim over Regina, and seeing Cora's face blanch at the implication would have made this dinner enjoyable, but Henry was there, and Emma didn't know if her action would embarrass Regina or not. She simply smirked and narrowed her eyes, neither confirming nor denying Killian's question.

Cora cleared her throat with a look that silenced the adults at the table making them feel like bickering children. To everyone's surprise, she turned her attention to Henry who looked up feeling her stare.

"Henry," she said with a practised smile and an uncharacteristically softer tone. "You seem like a bright, young boy."

He nodded. "I'm getting all A's, even in gym."

"That's a good lad," Killian commented.

"Yeah, my class got extra credit in drama for doing the Thanksgiving pageant this past week," Henry continued gesturing wildly with his hands. "I played a pilgrim and Mom and Regina helped with the costume."

"My daughter did?" Cora clarified.

"Emma doesn't know how to sew," Regina teased to the blonde in question who glared playfully.

"Yeah, Regina made it. My mom watched," Henry grinned earning himself the glare from his mother. "She took pictures of the pageant if you want to see."

"You went?" Cora questioned her daughter.

"Of course I did," Regina answered obviously. "I understand how important school events are and for children to know they are supported."

"What was that?" The jab in Regina's tone wasn't loss on anyone at the table and it certainly wasn't loss on Cora.

"Nothing, Mother."

"I only ask because I'm sure Henry's father would have found it unusual a strange woman was at his son's performance."

"No," Emma replied quickly. "He wasn't there."

"Couldn't make it?" Cora egged.

"No," the blonde replied through gritted teeth, uncomfortable that this woman was talking so openly about a subject she could barely breech with Henry.

Henry, for his part and eager to appear mature, rolled a shoulder, brushing aside the locks of hair that fell in his eyes. "I haven't met my dad. It's no big deal."

"Oh." Emma tensed at the way Cora's lips turned upwards ever so slightly, unsurprised at the revelation. "Well the boy does need a male figure in his life," Cora continued airily as she sipped her wine.

"He has one," Emma said flatly, all pretences of pleasantries out the window as she slammed her knife and fork down with a loud bang. "He has lots actually."

Cora looked amused at the implication before Emma continued.

"I have guy friends and he has teachers and coaches he can look up to." Emma's voice rose angrily. "And even if he didn't have that, even if it was just me and no one else, he doesn't need a male figure to grow up to be a kind-hearted, compassionate human being, and he is all of that and more, and he didn't need his father around to get him that way. Look at your daughter. She grew up with someone like you, yet she turned out amazing."

Emma's eyes widened as soon as the words were out of her mouth, her lips parted in horror as Cora leveled her gaze on her. Emma's mouth had gotten her in trouble before, but the deadly glare Cora aimed at her had her wishing she could rewind time. Emma thought herself tough, facing authorities from cops to teachers and foster parents with a temper, but never had she felt fear until Cora looked at her like that. Regina remained stock still as if any sudden movements would warrant unwanted attention, but Killian leaned back in his chair thoroughly enjoying the show. Henry, ever the smart boy, found interest in organizing his untouched vegetables by colour.

"I didn't mean it like that," Emma stammered, rushing to amend her words.

"I'm sure," Cora dismissed before turning to Killian. "Your parents. How are they?"

* * *

Dinner was awkward, and that was putting it nicely. Cora led most of the conversation throughout the rest of the evening, and by the time their main course was finished and taken away, an important call had her departing early but not before sweetly insisting that Henry be taken into the kitchen for a bowl of ice cream. The pleading look on Henry's face when he heard of the creamy delight made Emma sigh and reluctantly allow him to follow the butler into the kitchen leaving Emma, Regina, and Killian at the table.

Killian stood with a laugh as he made his way over to the side table to help himself to another round of whiskey. "I have to say, loves, that was the most entertaining dinners Cora has ever hosted."

He lifted his glass in salutation before taking a healthy swig.

Emma ignored him, pulling off the napkin from her lap and moving around the table to sit in his vacated spot.

"I am so sorry," Emma said sincerely, her hand itching to hold Regina's but the woman made no sign she was allowed to do so.

Regina was quiet for a long moment, her only movement was picking up her wine glass and draining it dry. As soon as she placed it back on the table, she turned to face Emma, eyebrows knitted in confusion. "Did you really mean that? All that you said about me?"

Emma smiled shyly. "Yeah."

Regina returned a hesitant grin before frowning again. "My mother-"

"I've met worse," Emma said cutting her off. "Though your mother comes a close, close second."

Regina tilted her head, making a face saying she didn't disagree before the manservant from earlier appeared in the entrance way.

"Regina," he called. "Your mother wishes to speak with you in her study."

Regina tensed but squared her shoulders, letting her hand graze down Emma's arm before she left the room.

* * *

"Sit." Cora ordered as soon as Regina shut the door behind her.

The younger brunette sat in front of her mother's desk, her legs crossed as she waited for the inevitable.

"She will ruin you."

"No-"

"And you just sat there as she talked back to me. To your mother, Regina. What would your father think of a woman like her?"

Regina's eyes softened at the mention of her father. The bond she had shared with him was what got her through her childhood, attending all of Cora's parties, involved in activities Cora deemed acceptable, and thickening her skin whenever Cora was disappointed. She always wondered how her parents ever married one another, but whatever the reason, she was grateful that her father taught her to become the headstrong woman she was now. "If Daddy was here right now he would appreciate Emma's outspokenness and the way she raised Henry to become more than she ever imagined."

"Your father would not have let a woman like her speak to me that way," Cora pointed with a threatening finger.

"And what is a woman like her, Mother?"

"She is rude, first of all. Honestly Regina, do you think she would be able to give you everything you deserve in life?" Cora asked, dropping her tone an octave in an attempt to sooth her daughter.

It didn't work when Regina lifted her chin and stared back defiantly. "She already has."

Cora pulled back into her winged-back chair, clutching the armrests tightly, her nails almost piercing the leather. "What do you mean by that?"

The question came out slowly, each word sliding out making sure Regina heard it in its entirety and warning her to be careful of her answer. Regina didn't answer right away. Instead she turned her gaze up toward the family portrait, studying Daddy's smile and praying, not for the first time, that he could offer his advice once more.

"Do you love her?" Again the question came out slowly.

Regina had learned long ago love was a very powerful word. It was only used in special occasions when it came to her mother, but the word bounced around freely between herself and her father. But that was familial love. She knew the love that Cora was referring to was something much deeper, more passionate and intimate, lasting if shared with the right person.

She had thought she found the right person once, a long time ago, but like Emma, he was a person Cora refused to accept. What could a pool boy offer a woman like Regina? Love, Regina had thought. She had loved Daniel, wholeheartedly, and she was sure he reciprocated her love. But when Cora got wind that Regina was thinking of switching out of her Ivy League university in order to be closer to Daniel, Cora made it her mission to deter her daughter from her decision. Regina had been set, ignoring her mother's request, but when Daniel had left her a simple letter one weekend when she was visiting home with a single word of 'goodbye', Regina was heartbroken and stayed at Harvard.

She promised herself she would never let anyone that close to her again, but that all changed the day her tire popped in front of Emma's bar.

The sound of Cora slamming her palm on her desk jarred Regina from her thoughts with a startled jump. She finally looked at her mother who was still waiting for an answer. "I believe that's something I should share with Emma before I even think about sharing it with you."

Regina didn't waste another minute waiting for a reply and stood from her chair, stalking out of the study with her mother following, a grimace on the older Mills' face.

* * *

Emma fiddled with her wine glass as soon as Regina left the room. She debated thoroughly about finding her way to the kitchens to see if she could score some of that ice cream Henry was lucky enough to get. Despite the stilted conversation during dinner, the food served was practically orgasmic, and she could only imagine what the ice cream would taste like. Not only did she want to escape after her debacle with Regina's mom, she was sure fighting Tyson was easier than arguing with Cora, but being alone in a room with Regina's almost ex was something she did not want to be doing.

The red liquid in her glass rose, and it took a turn of her head to realize Killian was refilling her glass.

"You're tense," he said topping her off nicely. "Would you like me to alleviate some of that tension for you?"

"You're aware that I'm here as Regina's girlfriend, you know that right?" Emma asked skeptically taking a large drink from her glass. God, did she need alcohol right now.

"I'm aware that despite you being here as Regina's girlfriend, as you say, you also have a son which implies I may have a chance after all." He winked as he took the seat beside her. "What do you say?"

Emma scrunched up her face in disgust. "Here's the thing, I am not here for you to look at, nor am I here to watch Cora try to set Regina up with you like she's been doing since forever. I deal with guys like you on a regular basis, so what I say is, back the fuck up."

Killian's smirk grew more pronounced. "Perhaps I was wrong. It seems you're the feisty one, Swan."

He finished his whiskey and left the empty glass on the table before standing and leaving his card beside her. "If you're ever interested in a tete-a-tete," he explained, turning to go.

Emma scoffed at his forwardness but immediately straightened when Regina and Cora entered the room. He said his goodbyes to Cora with a kiss to her cheek but was promptly rejected by Regina, her hand pushing him back enough for her to brush past him.

"Regina, why don't you go check on Henry?" Cora asked. "I'm sure his bedtime is approaching soon."

Regina glanced between Emma and Cora, unwilling to leave her mother alone with Emma, but knowing that the faster she got Henry the sooner they would be able to leave. With a simple nod, Regina exited the dining room again.

Emma stood as Cora approached, but the blonde didn't get more than a step away from her chair before the older woman was right in her face.

"What is your angle, Ms. Swan?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What do you want with my daughter?"

Emma sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said earlier, but Regina is old enough to make her own decisions, and if we want to be with each other-"

"Can you support her?" Cora asked. "If she were to quit her little photography job right now and sell her home, would you be able to take her into yours and give her everything as needs? The luxuries she has grown used to?"

Emma's silence was all Cora needed.

Cora smiled wide, a starking contrast to her cold facial features. "You may love her, and I know you do. She may be just as foolish as you and love you in return. But be realistic, dear. She could never be truly happy with you. I raised my daughter to expect the best in life, not hand me downs and purchases from Goodwill. Are you really willing to take her down that path with you? And if you are how certain are you that eventually she won't realize what kind of life she'd be living and leave?"

"She wouldn't do that," Emma insisted though her voice wavered.

"Regina spent two years getting her MBA only to suddenly go into this picture taking business. She is capable of changing her mind without warning."

Emma grimaced at Cora's words, but the older Mills allowed them to stew in Emma's brain for a minute longer.

"Think about it."


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer in Chapter One.**

**AN: Sorry for the delay. I've been busy watching my nieces for the past two weeks. Cora has definitely become a huge factor in this story, but hopefully Emma's pride doesn't get in the way. I hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

Emma squinted her eyes as soon as the first rays of light hit her face through her bedroom window, waking her from her restless night's sleep. Last night had been disastrous. She was supposed to have charmed the pants off the older Mills woman with the customary meeting the parents routine, but she had failed miserably, albeit with flare. The added bonus that Regina's basically ex had been there just sent a curve ball Emma's way. God, what had she been thinking that last night would have been fine? She should have taken Regina's cue and been a nervous wreck. That should have been her biggest indicator of what was lying ahead.

She cracked her eyes open, staring up at the ceiling that held a collage of water damage and questionable stains. It wasn't long before Regina murmured in her sleep and wrapped her arms around Emma's waist, all but laying directly on the blonde. Emma's lips tilted upward at the motion briefly as she brought her hand up to Regina's head to thread her fingers through the brunette locks. Regina's apple shampoo wafted up to Emma, playing with the blonde's senses as she tugged Regina closer into her, snuggling her tighter just a little bit more than usual.

Maybe Emma was just overreacting. Cora was an intimidating woman, and her words were striking, but they couldn't hold up. Not when Regina was here now, curled up beside her and had been for the past three nights.

Her thoughts were interrupted as soon as Regina stirred, her body stiffening to stretch out her legs as she murmured a groan. Emma grinned down at her as soon as Regina lifted her head to meet Emma's eyes.

"Morning," Emma greeted with a peck to the brunette's nose. "I don't remember signing up to be your bed." Her eyes motioned downward as they looked to see Regina sprawled on top of Emma.

The brunette shrugged playfully. "Perhaps if you got a new mattress that didn't prick me with every spring I wouldn't have to."

Emma squinted at Regina's statement feeling herself blush unwillingly before pushing it back to her mind. Instead she smiled at Regina who didn't notice Emma's momentary lapse of silence as they slid out of bed. Emma couldn't help but notice Regina twist her torso getting out all the kinks before stretching out her arms.

"See something you like?" Regina toyed.

Emma, once again pushed out of her reveries, smirked and crossed her arms casually. "Nothing special."

"I highly doubt that." Regina shed her sleeping shirt, one of Emma's band shirts she had claimed as her own ever since she had first babysat Henry, before rifling through Emma's closet where she had left a blouse hanging on the rack.

Emma chuckled to herself. "Coffee?"

"Yes, please," Regina said, fluffing out her hair in Emma's free standing mirror.

Emma left the room, turning immediately to bang on Henry's door. "Wake up, Henry!" Her only response came in the form of an exaggerated groan before she knocked on it once more for good measure.

She found jogging shorts draped over the back of her couch and slipped them on over her bare legs then walked over to the counter to fill up the kettle and plug it in. While she waited for the water to heat, she brought down two mugs and opened the cabinet door to retrieve the instant coffee, scooping a spoonful into each mug. She heard her bedroom door open and saw Regina slip out dressed impeccably for a woman who was wearing designer jeans before she crossed the hall and headed into the bathroom. By the time each mug held a steaming cup of coffee and Henry was groggily seated at the table rubbing sleep from his eyes as Emma placed a bowl of Fruit Loops in front of him, Regina exited looking as if she hadn't even spent the night or even met sleep. How the brunette managed to look the way she did with little to no make up was a feat Emma desperately needed to learn. Emma offered her the cup of black coffee as she passed before sitting at the table next to Henry, Regina on his other side.

"So what are we doing today?" Henry asked after swallowing a mouth full of cereal.

"Didn't you have enough fun last night?" Emma teased.

Regina chuckled then sipped her coffee, wincing at the instant coffee taste. The minuscule gesture meant for no one's eyes stopped Emma in her teasing before taking a sip of her own. It wasn't _that_ bad.

"The food was good," Henry admitted honestly and decided the easy way out of further questioning was to take his bowl of cereal and bring it to the couch leaving his mother and Regina at the table.

Regina scooted over to his vacant seat, sliding her mug over with her before taking another sip and moved her hand over Emma's to gain the blonde's attention. "Emma," she spoke slowly. "Last night-"

"It's fine," Emma rushed with a wave of her hand. "I mean, I wasn't on my best behaviour or anything like that, so I'm sorry for embarrassing you."

Regina's face softened and she sighed. "I realize my mother can be quite harsh."

Emma snorted dryly. "Tell me about it. But we survived, right?"

Regina sipped her coffee casually. "It wasn't the most pleasant of dinners, but that was to be expected."

Emma squinted her eyes. "What do you mean you expected it?"

Before Regina could answer, her phone went off in her purse. Excusing herself from the table letting Regina take the call, Emma worried her lip as she took a sip of coffee. Did Regina really expect her to lose her temper? Was she that predictable for Regina to know that she and her mother wouldn't get along? She leaned against the counter to watch as Regina frowned into the phone before making eye contact with Emma then leaving to take the call in her room. Emma sighed. Cora really was trying to get into her head. She knew Regina better than that; Regina wouldn't just bring any old stranger home. It meant something to her. _She_ meant something to her.

_For how long, dear?_

Emma groaned as Cora's voice sounded in her head. She poured her coffee down the sink unable to drink anymore when the realization that she didn't really know Regina all that well struck her. What's a few great months versus a lifetime of knowing her? Cora clearly had the advantage on that front, but the woman's word couldn't be held in high regard for Regina since she was terrified of the woman.

But Cora was right. She couldn't give Regina everything she had gotten used to, everything she had grown up with. She wouldn't just be a step down, she would be ten steps and twelve levels below Regina.

She ran her hand through her hair, pulling apart the tangles as her insecurities ran rampant through her mind. She had to have faith that they could make it. She liked Regina way too much to let something like a bad dinner get in their way.

With a resolve to forget about the whole thing, Emma rinsed out her coffee mug turning her head when she saw Regina exit the bedroom with a frown.

* * *

_"What do you mean you expected it?"_

Regina squinted at Emma's question only to be distracted by the ringing of her phone. She grimaced at the caller ID to see it was none other than her mother calling much too early and much too soon after last night's dinner, but living with Cora had conditioned Regina to expect as much no matter how much she wanted to avoid it. Despite Emma leaving the table to give Regina privacy, she knew better than to answer this particular phone call in front of Emma and left to attend to it in the blonde's bedroom. With a heavy sigh and the ringtone playing its second rotation, Regina answered the call.

"Good morning, Mother." She kept her tone flat hoping to hide any dismay from having to deal with Cora.

"Regina," Cora began customarily. "Am I right in assuming you are at Ms. Swan's home?"

"You wouldn't ask if you didn't already know."

"I just wanted to hear it from you since I already called your home without an answer."

"Then why did you ask?" Regina couldn't help but snap. She shut her eyes and mentally braced herself for the lecture that was sure to come from her mother's mouth.

"Regina," Cora's tone was low and dangerous, and Regina couldn't help but swallow audibly. "Do not take that tone with me. I've been your mother far longer than you've known that Emma Swan and already she's having a negative influence over you."

Regina refrained from reminding her mother that she had always been like this, but attempts at such a conversation in the past always remained futile. Stubbornness bred stubbornness apparently. Instead, she took another steadying breath to ease her voice back into activity. "I appreciate your concern, Mother, but I am capable of taking care of myself."

"I'm just interested in your well-being, Regina. You can't blame your mother for worrying."

She made a noise of acknowledgement but didn't confirm the claim.

"Your infatuation is clouding your judgment. People like this Emma Swan are only looking to take advantage of you."

Regina paced around Emma's bedroom doing her best to keep her mother's words out of her head. She had had years' worth of practice, but when Cora became persistent, it was difficult to block her out. With a hard thud, she sat down on the bed, still unmade and mussed from Emma's rather unique ability of utilizing every inch of space as she slept whether or not Regina was sleeping in it. The scent of the blonde still lingered within the sheets with the faint hint of apples that distinctly came from Regina's shampoo. She resisted the urge to lean back on the bed and inhale the combined scents when she heard her mother call her name impatiently. She couldn't let her mother dictate her decisions, especially not her love life. She had worked hard to break free from her mother's grasp and it was going to stay that way. With a determined jaw and a clear cut resolve, Regina took another breath before speaking.

"Mother," Regina said softly but firmly leaving no room to be swayed otherwise. "I have no intention of listening to you if the only purpose of this call is to bring Emma down. You taught me to be decisive in my life, and that is exactly what I'm doing. _This_ is what's best for me."

Regina held her breath, waiting for Cora to say something, anything, or even just to hear her breathe. The line was silent for far too long, and if it weren't for the faint sound of the clock ticking on Cora's end, Regina would have been certain that her mother had hung up on her.

"Very well." Regina narrowed her eyes in confusion as the words ran through the line and into her ears. Her lips parted in shock as Cora continued. "Your choice in a lover may be less than ideal, but Henry hasn't turned out worse for wear."

Regina looked at her phone making sure she was still speaking to the same woman. Cora was never this easily persuaded, but here she was all but complimenting Emma's motherhood skills. She couldn't quite comprehend what she was hearing and words escaped her.

"You'll invite them to Thanksgiving. Introduce them to our friends if you choose to keep them," Cora stated as if she were speaking to a child on how to care for their new puppy.

Regina rolled her eyes at the implication but nodded. "Yes, Mother."

With no goodbye, Regina was met with silence as the call disconnected. Pocketing her phone, she frowned as she exited the room, still baffled over what the last couple minutes had involved. Perhaps her mother was being more open-minded. She truly had taken to Henry even if her ways of affection were not as clear, but apparently Cora had valued Regina's choice in Emma. She released a breathy laugh as she made her way to the blonde in question. _Things were finally changing._

* * *

Emma mimicked Regina's frown as soon as she saw it on the older woman. She turned her back to the sink and leaned against it, her head tilted to the side as she examined the brunette. It wasn't until Regina released a breath of laughter did Emma squint in confusion. "You okay?"

Regina looked up as if finally realizing Emma was there and nodded. "Yes."

"Your mom?" Emma asked warily.

"Yes." Regina leaned against the counter beside Emma, their bodies shifting to face one another.

"And you're okay?" Emma asked again, ducking her head to meet Regina's eyes.

"Surprisingly, yes," Regina admitted. "She's invited you and Henry to our Thanksgiving party."

Emma visibly tensed, her eyes widened like a deer caught in the headlights. It was a trap, Emma knew it. Cora wouldn't have invited them if she didn't have an ulterior motive. And it didn't sound like some standard run of the mills holiday dinner with the family. Regina had said party. There would be people there. People Emma didn't like, and after last night she was not looking forward to doing that again, especially not with Henry. Her stunned silence drew on too long, for Regina took a step closer so that they were toe to toe and extended a hand onto Emma's arm squeezing in reassurance.

"You don't have to go..." Regina offered.

Emma did little to hide the exhale of relief, but as she shrugged a hand through her hair, she mentally winced at her blatant reaction. "It's not that I don't want to, I mean, that's nice of your mom for inviting us."

"Traumatized, dear?" Regina asked with a hint of teasing in her voice.

Emma chuckled nervously, nodding in the affirmative. Regina smiled softly though it didn't quite reach her eyes as she leaned over and pecked Emma's cheek. "Let me know if you change your mind."

Before she knew it Emma was left standing in the kitchen alcove as Regina walked the few steps into the living room and sat down beside Henry. She listened to them speak as she picked up Regina's still full mug of now cold coffee and placed it in the sink.

"Any plans for today?" Regina asked Henry who immediately gave the brunette woman all of his attention.

He shrugged. "Mom and me just hang out on Sundays before she goes to work."

"It looks like today will be unusually warm. Are you sure you wouldn't like some fresh air?"

"Are you staying?" Henry asked, the makings of a puppy dog face already forming on his features.

Emma snorted from her place in the kitchen at her son's blatant attempt at monopolizing Regina's time. She had to hand it to the kid. He had ways of getting what he wanted.

Regina smirked, looking to Emma who nodded her head before plopping down beside her on the couch.

"It looks like I'm staying," Regina grinned tapping Henry's nose affectionately.

"So where do you want to go, kid?" Emma asked, none too subtly wrapping an arm along the back of the couch and tugging Regina into her side. She gave a sideways smile to the brunette who quirked an eyebrow up at the middle-school gesture, but Emma continued directing her attention to Henry.

He put a finger to his chin in thought before breaking into a grin. "Coney Island."

Emma mimicked her son's expression and tapped Regina's shoulder to ease her off of her side so Emma could stand. "We haven't been there in a while."

"Yes!" Henry cheered as he stood with his mother. They both faced the couch just as Regina stood and made her way to collect her coat.

"I thought you were staying," Henry called after her as he bent to push the couch aside aiding his mother.

"Are we not going out?" Regina asked, pausing her movements of slipping on her jacket entirely.

Emma caught Henry's eyes and both shared a secretive grin. She stood as soon as the couch was out of the way and extended her hand motioning Regina to them. "Just wait and see."

* * *

Within the hour, Emma and Henry had transformed the living room into their version of Coney Island's amusement park. Emma had brought out the Christmas lights and strung them along the walls as they flashed brightly like the lights of the Ferris wheel. In each little corner of the room there was an amusement park activity from knocking down a pyramid of cans to a cardboard wall pinned up with half blown balloons left over from Henry's birthday and a few darts sitting on a table beside it. Behind each activity was a small pile of Henry's toys to be won as prizes. Not only had there been games, but there was a poster board set up with a hole cut in the middle attached to a headless body of a hula dancer to take pictures with. On the couch were the pillows from their bedrooms; they'd be using those to play bumper cars, but Regina didn't have to know that yet. Regina had been relegated to the kitchen to make hot dogs, and every time she attempted to take a peak at the Swans' transformation of the living room, one or both of them would toss a pair of rolled up socks at her, their simulation bean bags for the bean bag toss.

By the time Regina had plated nearly the entirely package of hot dogs, she was still forced to keep her back turned until Emma came over and offered her hand with a smirk. She enjoyed watching Regina's face as she took in the scene. It wasn't much, and it was nowhere near the level of actually going to any amusement park let alone Coney Island, but she was glad Regina seemed to be enjoying their makeshift kiosks.

"Come on." Emma tugged on Regina as she brought her to the stacked cans. "I'll win you a stuffed bear."

Regina laughed as they approached Henry who was sitting behind the cans with a wicker hat on his head. "I hear these games are rigged."

"That's just what the people who can't win them say," Emma said with a smug expression as she caught the soft plush balls Henry tossed her way. With a wink, she reared back her arm. "Watch and see."

* * *

It took eight tries for Emma to knock all the cans down. She refused to give up her turn when Henry boasted that he could knock them down faster than she could, but as the last can teetered on its side and fell to the ground with a clatter, Emma cheered with her hands in the air rubbing her victory into Henry's face as he handed her the largest stuffed bear with a roll of his eyes. He immediately dashed off to the balloon wall to practice his shot as Emma, cheeks tinted red from concentration, offered the bear to Regina. She accepted it with a pleased grin, rewarding Emma with a chaste kiss before tugging them over to Henry to help him with the darts.

They went through all the games, Henry winning at balloon darts while Regina had surprised everybody by being quite adept at the ring toss, made with empty beer bottles and rings from a toy Henry had during his toddler days. They had stopped for lunch, Henry and Emma scarfing down two hot dogs each before they convinced Regina to try their homemade corn dogs.

Emma smirked, watching Regina's nose wrinkle as she set a batter-covered hot dog into a deep pan filled with sizzling oil.

"That is an excessive amount of grease and fat," Regina said with disdain.

"That all goes away when you add mustard," Henry insisted, pulling a bottle out of the fridge.

Regina opened her mouth to correct him, but the sizzle of Emma dropping in two more corn dogs made Regina jump back wary of the splash.

"You two are like bottomless pits," she said with a shake of her head.

"Yup." Emma grinned as she caught the brunette's eye, winking slyly. "Never satisfied."

Regina rolled her eyes and within minutes, Emma was using tongs to pull out the corn dogs and placing them on a paper towel covered plate to dry off the excess oil. Already Henry was collecting his and pouring an excessive amount of mustard onto it while Emma held out one for Regina enticingly who eyed the dog suspiciously. "One bite won't kill you."

"It'll certainly bring me one step closer to death."

"If you don't I'll never kiss you again," Emma threatened.

Regina cocked an eyebrow and tilted her head. "Whatever will I do without your kisses?"

"One bite and you won't have to find out."

Regina shook her head but opened her mouth and bit into the corn dog. The breading was surprisingly good but the dog was bland. Judging from her hot dog that was to be expected, but she made a point of chewing it and showing Emma she had swallowed.

"Good," Emma said pleased and handing the rest to Regina. "Now you gotta finish it."

"I don't remember agreeing to that." Despite her protest Regina took another bite as they stood around the kitchen, working on their after-lunch snack.

Regina's phone beeped before she could swallow, and she set her corn dog down and shimmied her phone out of her pants pocket reading the text. She rolled her eyes at the device and sighed frustrated.

"I'm afraid I have to leave," she announced as she typed a reply and placed her phone back into her pocket.

"Your mom?" Emma asked automatically.

Regina shook her head. "There's a problem with the space I'm renting out for my next showing."

"Will you be back?" Henry asked. "You can watch me again."

"Henry," Emma nudged him for his presumption.

"If I'm done soon enough, I'll check with your mother," Regina promised, crouching down to hug him.

She walked to the closet and collected her jacket and dress she had worn the night before protected in its cover bag.

"Sure you're just not trying to skimp out on eating your corn dog?" Emma asked as she walked Regina to the door.

"Here I thought my plan was flawless," Regina answered without missing a beat.

Emma grinned and leaned down to kiss Regina, pulling back slightly to cast a sideways look at Henry who had immediately returned to his meal. "You don't have to watch him again or anything."

Regina pressed a hand on her arm. "I'll call you to let you know if I can get him from your neighbour."

They shared another kiss, lingering this time, and with a wave to Henry, Regina was gone with Emma shutting the door behind her. She looked at the time and saw they still had a couple hours before it was time for her to get ready for work and clasped her hands around Henry's shoulders. "Bumper cars?"

* * *

Emma sat at her kitchen table staring down a whomping five thousand dollar check signed by none other than Cora Mills. It had been over a week since having dinner with the woman and though Emma's thoughts drifted to 'what if's' in the dead of the night, or rather mid-morning when she usually caught her sleep, she thought the woman's invitation to Thanksgiving had been an olive branch of sorts. Had she been sorely wrong. This is what Emma got for letting her guard down. For thinking just maybe things were going to be different. She got bought like a piece of property to be used and discarded whenever the time was suitable.

What angered Emma the most was how she sat there, staring at the check wondering what she was going to do with it.

She had been working when Cora had come into the bar, and though Emma never saw the woman walk in, she knew she must have caused a little scene when a disgruntled August had tugged Emma down from the counter as she was collecting her tips to whisper none too quietly that there was someone she needed to see right away. Confused, she pocketed the bills into the strap of her bra, a good haul after many weekends of giving away her shifts, before dodging the other bartenders and following August into the back and up the stairs where his office was. When he hadn't even moved to enter the room, Emma knew something was up when she pushed the door open. A cold chill had settled over her body as Cora turned slowly, looking dignified as ever even while standing in August's cluttered office.

She shut the door behind her, knowing her curious boss would try to eavesdrop and decided the more barriers she put between others and this conversation the better. "Hi, Mrs. Mills." Emma shifted from foot to foot, wiping the thin sheen of sweat that had built up from her dance off her forehead. She was all too aware that her bra was showing under her v-neck tee and her leather pants clung to her like a second skin. This was not something anyone should be wearing meeting their significant other's mother, even if it was their second meeting.

"You're quite the dancer," Cora commented then motioned to the wad of bills sticking out from Emma's bra strap. "And I'm sure everyone else here agrees."

Emma chuckled nervously, running a hand through her hair in a desperate attempt to make herself moderately presentable. "Thanks...uh, is there something wrong with Regina?"

"I came to see you." Cora closed the distance between them and pressed a hand against Emma's cheek as she smiled, one that was practised and held no emotion, only to simulate trust. "You wouldn't mind if we talked, do you dear?"

Emma shook her head, Cora's palm leaving her face as the older woman moved to sit behind August's desk as if it were her own. Taking the hint, Emma sat in the chair in front of it, feeling as if she were called down to the principal's office though for what she wasn't sure.

"You care for my daughter, don't you?"

Emma nodded animatedly. "Yes, I-"

"Let's be honest, Ms. Swan, I'm not here to make amends between us." Cora folded her hands over the desk as her dark and beady eyes bore holes into Emma's. The blonde refrained from showing any emotion that signalled surprise, though her heart beat erratically, panic settling into her chest. "You're a hard working woman. That much is clear. And you must know that my daughter has overcome obstacles to get to where she is, and her trajectory is only leading her up."

The need to say that Cora was probably many of Regina's obstacles faded on Emma's lips when she processed what Cora was saying. She narrowed her eyes and sighed exasperated. "I understand that you don't think I'm good for your daughter-"

"It's not my opinion, Ms. Swan. It's a fact." Cora inclined her head pointedly and waved her hand in the air dismissing Emma's statement. "You're a sweet girl, Emma. You've raised a fine young boy in Henry, and you have so much potential should the cards be in your favour."

"And you're here to put the cards in my favour?" Emma asked warily, sitting back and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Precisely." Cora brought her purse onto the table and pulled out a single check, sliding it over to Emma who refused to look at it. "I'm not doing this to intimidate you, dear. You and my daughter are just too different. Sooner or later you'll grow to resent each other, and I'd rather protect you two now than later on when broken hearts are in the midst."

"You're trying to buy me off?" Emma scoffed as she waved the check. "Lady, you must be crazy-" Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the figures on it. She had never seen a check so big. "Holy crap."

Cora's lips turned up at the edges just a little bit, though Emma was still gawking at the check to notice. "Think of it as a new start. I realize you two have invested quite a bit in each other, but that all can be rectified when you're able to put Henry in a good school. The delays on rent will be a thing of the past, and this seems like a good start up to even run your own business. You wanted that, didn't you?"

Emma clenched her teeth and hardened her jaw, and even with the dull thud of the rock music blaring below them, she couldn't help but think that Cora had a point.

Cora stood and took the check from Emma, folding once and then again before tucking it in with the rest of Emma's tips. "There will be more of that when you actually keep away from my daughter."

* * *

Emma groaned as she shook her head, banging the memory from only hours earlier out of her head as she dropped her head on the kitchen table. She should have ripped the check right there and then and threw the tiny pieces of paper in Cora's face, but as soon as the woman disappeared, August had wandered in cautiously claiming the crowd was chanting her name. It took everything in Emma not to let Cora's presence put her off, but by the time she had found herself alone after walking Henry to school, counting her previous night's earnings and finding the check nestled in with them, she really had no idea what to do.

Had Regina told her mother about lending Emma rent money? Was that why she thought Emma was so easily bought? The familiar feeling of guilt washed over Emma when she realized she hadn't paid Regina back yet, but the burning embarrassment overtook her as Cora's voice resonated in her ears.

_You'd be able to put Henry in a good school. The delays on rent will be a thing of the past, and this seems like a good start up to even run your own business._

She lifted her head halfway, dropping them unceremoniously into her hands trying to sort out her options. Maybe she could use the money and still be with Regina. God, no, that was stupid. That was basically stealing from Regina's mom, and Emma was out of the petty thievery game long ago. Though if she thought of Cora as someone other than Regina's mom, it got a hell of a lot easier to take from her. Who the hell did she think she was, buying people as if she had the right? Emma was used to being treated like a piece a property, a meal ticket, or someone to take the blame, but there was no way in hell she was going to let Cora put a five thousand dollar price tag on Regina. Regina was worth more than that. Priceless even.

She scoffed and grabbed the check, her resolve decided as she went to the sink and put the check under water. When it was sufficiently soaked, she tore it into tiny pieces, releasing her anger for Cora out on the rectangular piece of paper that was once in the older woman's possession and held her scrawled signature before dropping it in the trash.

It took a moment for Emma to fully grasp that she had washed away five grand. She'd by lying if she said it didn't sting just a little, but Emma didn't do charity or a buy out. She could provide for Henry and Regina, and she'd damn well prove that to Cora and anyone who thought otherwise.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer in Chapter One.**

**AN: Thanks so much for all the great feedback, alerts and favourites! You guys are phenomenal! Cora is most certainly a manipulative one. This is a shorter chapter and it's a set up for the next one. I do start school next week, so I don't know how frequent I'll be able to post or update stories, but rest assured I will still be writing :) **

* * *

The two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving had kept Emma busy with taking more shifts and working longer hours. With the holidays just around the corner, Emma used it as her excuse to keep working. She didn't breathe a word to Regina or anyone about Cora's visit. When August had questioned her the following day about the scary dragon lady, Emma had dismissed him, but even she knew her tone was flat. She opted out of telling Regina because she knew Regina already had a questionable and strenuous relationship with her mother, and despite their differences, Regina really did love, or at least respected, Cora.

That's what Emma told herself at least.

She hated that she didn't rip the check up right in front of Cora and called her out on her tough love bullshit. She hated that even after bringing it home, she sat at her table for over an hour contemplating her next move. She could argue all she wanted that she had absolutely no intention of breaking up with Regina, but the fact of the matter was that she had considered keeping payoff money, and in her books, even that was low.

So she had made it a point to prove Cora wrong thus resulting in her accumulation of shifts. It was because of her extra shifts that Emma couldn't spend as much time with Regina, or Henry for that matter, but she was hoping a wicked awesome Christmas gift would make up for that. It was also because of her extra shifts that Emma had declined Regina's offer of spending Thanksgiving at Regina's family home arguing that she wanted to have some quality time with Henry, and the brunette didn't fault her for that. Though both knew the real reason why Emma had declined. The blonde was scared, there was no doubt about that. She couldn't hide behind Henry forever, and it was true, she wanted a nice quiet evening alone with the kid, but she just couldn't deal with Cora or Killian or whoever may be at the Mills mansion. Not right then. She had hinted to Regina that she was more than welcome to share Thanksgiving with them, and although brown eyes had brightened at the request, she was reluctant to accept claiming Cora had some news for her and her attendance was mandatory.

Emma fretted over what Cora's news could possibly be as she retrieved the small turkey from the oven. She hadn't heard from Regina all day, and Emma bit her lip in worry. What if Cora had told Regina that she had taken the money? It technically wasn't a lie since she had left with it, but surely Cora had noticed that five grand still remained in her bank account, though Emma was certain Cora could suffer a loss like that and go on with life as if she had just dropped a penny.

The stinging burn of the hot pan grazing her exposed wrist pulled Emma from her thoughts, and with great strength, she held firmly to the tray and set it down gently on cooling racks before removing her oven mitts to inspect the damage, relieved to find nothing more than reddening flesh.

"Henry!" Emma called as she rinsed her wrist. "Dinner's ready soon, come out and help me make the gravy!"

The boy raced out of his room just as Emma pulled out a saucepan and began tearing into the gravy packet. He paused and retraced his steps as soon as the phone rang and ran to the wall to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hello Henry," Regina's smooth voice sounded on the other line.

"Regina!"

Emma whipped her head up at the name and held her breath. _She knows_. Why else would she be calling? Emma set the gravy on low as it simmered then took a few steps toward Henry and the phone with her hand stretched out. Better to come clean now than face her wrath.

Her plan was stopped when Henry turned his back to her and kept the phone cradled to his ear. "How come you're not here?"

"I'm sorry, Henry," Regina apologized. "Perhaps you can save me some stuffing."

"Okay," he agreed happily. "My mom makes the best."

"Does she now?"Regina asked genuinely surprised.

Henry chuckled. "I know, it's weird, but she's good at it."

"Henry," Emma nudged impatiently, but all he did was take the phone and turn the corner toward the small entrance of the hallway that shielded his view of the kitchen and continued to talk to Regina about what he had been up to, and Emma's cooking apparently.

Emma sighed with the hint of a smirk on her face then returned to the stove to tend to the gravy. After ten minutes of hearing her son giggle and ramble on to Regina, Emma poured the gravy into a bowl and wiped her hands before coming behind Henry and swiping the phone from his ear. "Stop chatting up my girlfriend and go wash up."

With a grumble, Henry said his goodbyes to Regina and made his way to the washroom. As soon as the door was closed, Emma brought the phone up to her ear, her fingers dancing around the cord. "Hey. Happy Thanksgiving."

"It could be better," Regina mused.

Emma inhaled sharply, biting her lip in contemplation before responding. "Bad news?"

"The company here is less than appealing." It was then Emma finally registered the soft instrumental music in the background of Regina's line and the very faint murmuring in the background.

She relaxed realizing that for some reason Cora hadn't told Regina about their interaction, and she was thankful for the small miracle. Leaning against the wall, significantly at ease now, Emma smirked into the phone. "You know you can say that you miss me. You don't have to be coy about it."

Regina laughed once. "Don't flatter yourself, Ms. Swan."

"It's Ms. Swan, now? Why do I feel like I'm in trouble?"

"You generally find yourself in that state."

"What are you gonna do about it? Punish me?"

Regina's throaty chuckle sent shivers down Emma's spine. "Don't give me ideas."

"You could come over after your party," Emma offered none too subtly about her intentions. "Unless you're all talk."

"You don't work tonight?"

Emma shook her head despite being on the phone. "It's Thanksgiving. I've got the night off."

"I just assumed since you've been working every night."

"Yeah," Emma sighed guiltily, rubbing the back of her neck with her palm. "The extra shifts. But good news. I made enough to pay you back."

"For what?"

"The rent," Emma muttered quickly as if admitting her shortcomings would make them stand out further.

"Oh," Regina said casually. "It's not necessary, dear."

"Regina..." Emma drew the word out between her teeth as she fidgeted with the cord, twirling it into a tangle.

"Use it for this month's rent," the brunette insisted.

"Regina-"

"Emma." Regina's voice was firm and unwavering. "I know you need it. Just use it for this month and don't worry about paying me back."

"You don't need to pity me," Emma mumbled running a hand through her hair in aggravation. Even as the words left her mouth she knew she would be regretting them, but she couldn't help but sit back and listen as they spilled forth.

"Excuse me?" Regina's tone took a cold turn. When Emma's only response was incoherent words strung together, Regina spoke again. "Is this why you've been cancelling on me to work extra shifts? You think I pity you."

"No, no it's not that, I just-" Emma sighed to collect her thoughts. "I didn't mean that. I know you're just trying to help. I've just been stressed and tired lately."

It was a long moment before anything was said between them. Emma could hear the string instruments play, and she held her breath wondering if she had messed up. Again. It seemed to be a habit of hers lately.

"It's fine." Regina finally responded, but Emma couldn't help but hear the curt dismissal in it. It so was not fine.

Her saving grace came in the form of Henry finally exiting the bathroom, his eyes dead set on the turkey and mashed potatoes sitting on the kitchen counter.

"I gotta go," Emma said hurriedly. "Dinner's ready and you know how Henry eats." She winced when she didn't even get a chuckle out of Regina. "I'll call you later?"

"Very well. Tell Henry I say happy thanksgiving."

With that Emma placed the phone back in its cradle on the wall and released a breath. She sighed heavily before putting on a smile and heading toward the kitchen, thankful that at least she hadn't upset Henry in any way.

* * *

Regina held her phone tightly in her hand, staring at the black screen with aggravation etched into her face. She _knew_ Emma had been acting strangely, and with her cancelling dates on her left and right, she had an inkling that Emma's guilt had finally gotten the better of her. She didn't think Emma would react to it. They had been doing well with communication, Regina especially making an effort she didn't usually make in most relationships but wanting this one to be different. She'd brought the woman home for god's sake. Didn't Emma understand that? Granted, her mother was something else entirely but still.

She tapped her toe, continuing to stare at the blank screen wondering if she should call back and discuss the matters further. The unsettling feeling churning in her stomach made her feel like they had left off on a bad note, and granted, they did with her vague dismissal, but this feeling just would not do. Resolved to do something about it, Regina's finger hovered over Emma's name in her contacts.

"Problem, dear?"

Regina growled at the sound of Maleficent's voice as she entered into the empty hallway Regina had isolated herself in to make her phone call in peace. The knowing smile and leering eyes of the blonde made Regina realize why Emma had such a problem with her. Placing her phone into her clutch with a firm snap, she tilted her head up to address Maleficent. "Nothing that's any of your concern."

"It sounds to me like there's trouble in paradise." Maleficent stalked over to Regina, a wine glass clutched between her forefingers as she sipped daintily on the deep purple liquid. "Quite frankly I have no idea why you put up with a girl like her."

Regina's eyes hardened. "A girl like her?"

"Well I can see why you would want to dip into the wild side, but for this long?" Maleficent tsked. "You seem to be softening at the edges now. Getting the chance to play family now, are you?"

"You seem to be needing a new dress." Maleficent looked down at her dress immediately, confused at finding nothing wrong. Under the guise of bringing her clutch under her arm, Regina tipped Maleficent's glass causing the red wine to pour down the blonde's champagne coloured dress, staining the front a deep purple, the blonde's nearly exposed cleavage getting the worst of it. "Oh, how clumsy of me."

Regina smirked at Maleficent's gaping mouth before exiting the hallway and returning to the grand dining room, hips swaying in victory as Maleficent stomped her foot and growled furiously.

* * *

Dinner had been a long drawn out affair filled with speeches of thanks to another prosperous year with so-and-so's company or business. The only thing that kept Regina going was the fact that Kathryn had sat next to her all night as the two exchanged stories and caught each other up on their personal lives. The blonde was pleased to note that Frederick had gotten along famously with her father, which was a shock for Regina to hear. Alexander Hawthorne kept his one and only daughter heavily protected, and very few dates had ever made it past the stage of meeting him. It seemed Frederick had captured more than one of the Hawthorne's hearts, and Regina was more than a little envious of the fact. Regina had refrained from recounting all the details of Emma and Henry meeting her mother, though she went on about the fact that Killian was still as insufferable as always.

She was relieved, and more than a little smug, when Maleficent was nowhere to be seen, but she had caught word that the temperamental blonde had excused herself early that evening to attend to a pressing matter. No doubt Regina would be receiving a dry cleaning bill, but it was worth it to shut her up in the end.

The combination of the dull dinner and the tension she still felt from her less than pleasant conversation with Emma made Regina weary, and by the time her mother tapped incessantly on a wine glass and stood at the head of the table to gain everyone's attention, Regina was ready to go home and forget the night. So much for an evening of thanks. Maybe if she had accepted Emma's invitation to begin with this evening could have been salvaged. Though she was certain if Emma had accepted her own invitation dinner would have been far more easier to endure. Regina looked up when Cora tapped her wine glass again.

"As this is a time of thanks, I would like to show my gratitude for my daughter, Regina." Cora smiled proudly at her, and the younger brunette couldn't help but blush at Cora's admission. "As you all may be aware, Regina has chosen to stray from the family business, but no matter. I am thankful for a daughter who is incredibly talented in her craft, and she's finally gained the recognition for it."

Regina furrowed her brow wondering what her mother meant as Cora held out a hand and waited for one of the servers to hand her a newspaper.

"My daughter, Regina stand up dear, has been featured in Rachel Ghorm's article as a promising rising photographer!"

Regina snapped her head toward her mother as she stood and refrained from ripping the newspaper right out of her hands as the guests clapped and nodded their congratulations. Instead, she managed to gently retrieve the paper and flip open to the Arts section where half a page's worth of words about Regina and finally finding her niche was on display for the world to see. She gasped as she saw her name in print under Ms. Ghorm's column, praising her for her photos and eye for art. A verbal compliment from Ms. Ghorm had been enough to make Regina ecstatic, but this, a printed article from one of New York's toughest critics would change her career overnight.

"Where did you see this?" Regina asked as she continued skimming the article.

"The editor of the newspaper gave me an advanced copy of tomorrow's paper, dear," Cora answered, squeezing Regina's shoulder affectionately. "You finally did something right."

Regina beamed, allowing Cora to pull her into a hug before they both sat down, Regina still furiously reading the article, soaking up every word.

"It's a shame your little lady friend and Henry couldn't make it," Cora commented casually under her breath so only Regina could hear. "I suppose they had more important things than to celebrate your good news with you."

Regina set her jaw and let her mother's words roll off her back as Cora turned to address a business colleague, ignoring the impact her statement had had on Regina. Regina knew Cora had a unique way of showing affection, and despite her backhanded mention of Emma and Henry, the fact that she could speak openly about them said a lot. It didn't ease the sting of regret though, and she soon realized she needed Emma and Henry to know of her good news. She stared down at the article again and sighed a deep breath of relief. She was right. Things were going to be changing.

* * *

It was the third time around of watching _A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving_ did Henry finally knock out, his head in Emma's lap as he snored softly, his belly full and his dreams filled with Snoopy and Woodstock. Emma inched his head up and slid out from under it before bending over to shoulder the limp and heavy nine-year old and carry him to his room. She figured he could sleep in the sweats he was already wearing and found no use in waking him to change into his pjs. With a kiss to his forehead, she flicked off the lights to his room and shut the door quietly.

Wide awake despite the late hour due to her erratic work schedule, Emma began tidying up the apartment, cleaning up the kernels of popcorn littering the floor and couch from their movie marathon. Normally Emma hated cleaning, but her earlier conversation with Regina had her on edge. She wasn't sure if Regina was mad or not, and she didn't want to interrupt her party to find out. Deciding a turkey sandwich was her best bet at keeping her distracted, Emma removed the half a turkey from the fridge and set it on the counter, using the knife and fork she had left embedded in it to carve out thick slices of turkey.

It was the soft knock on her door that prevented Emma from tying up the bread bag after retrieving two slices. Wiping her hands on her jeans, she made her way to the door and checked the peep hole, surprised to find Regina on the other side. She unlocked the chain and pulled the door open with a tilt of her head. "Hey."

"Hi," Regina said with a hesitant smile on her face. "I realize it's late. May I come in?"

"Yeah, yeah of course." Emma stepped aside allowing Regina into her apartment. They dawdled by her front door for a moment as the silence surrounded them.

"Look I-"

"Emma I-"

The blonde chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck. "Go ahead."

Regina bit her lip and took a step closer. "Earlier, I had no intention on offending you in any way."

"I know," Emma insisted resting her hand on Regina's forearm. With a heavy sigh, she nodded once, deciding now was as good as any to open up to Regina about her most recent interaction with her mother. "It's just your mom-"

"Did she say something to you?" Emma's eyes shifted uneasily, but Regina continued her questioning. "I know the dinner wasn't pleasant, and I don't blame you for not wanting to attend tonight, but if she said something to you that night, I hope it wasn't enough to let her sway you."

Emma shut her mouth at Regina's vulnerable state, her hand clutching Emma's wrist tightly as her eyes widened with hesitance. She had never seen Regina like that before, hopeful and fearful at the same time. Over a month ago Regina had promised her that nothing her mother would say could tear her away from their prospering relationship, and still, weeks later Regina held tightly to that promise. Why make it worse with unnecessary drama? What she didn't know couldn't hurt her, and like Regina said, it wouldn't matter if she knew anyway.

So Emma leaned down, capturing the woman's lips between her own, finding solace in the breath of relief puffed against her lips as Regina eagerly kissed her back. Pulling back, Emma played with the strands of brown hair between her fingertips as their foreheads came into contact. She placed another tender kiss on Regina's cheek before speaking. "I'm sorry for earlier. The holidays, they stress me out."

"They're my mother's favourite. Everyone flocking into the city from across the country to watch the Macy Parade or to watch the ball drop on New Years," Regina said dryly. "She says it's good for business."

Emma chuckled before pulling back entirely, helping Regina shrug out of her coat before leading her to the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge for her. She continued to make her sandwich, but before she took a bite, she leapt back to the fridge and pulled out a prepared plate and set it in front of Regina. "Henry made me promise to give this to you."

Regina grinned down at the plate with turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and an unnatural amount of stuffing on it. "And what do _you_ have to give me? I'm told this is the best stuffing I'll ever taste."

"I'm still waiting to see if you'll dish out that punishment," Emma winked before taking a bite of her sandwich.

Regina rolled her eyes playfully, placing the plate back in the fridge with a promise of eating it tomorrow. "Oh!" She turned suddenly and walked to her coat draped over a chair, pulling out a folded newspaper clipping. "I want to show you something."

Emma set her sandwich down at Regina's obvious excitement and waited as she joined her against the counter.

"Read it," Regina urged, thrusting the clipping into Emma's hands.

Emma eyed Regina as she leaned over Emma's side as if the close proximity would make her read faster. She smirked before directing her gaze to the page, her lips curling into a smile from the first sentence alone. Her smile grew as her eyes tore through the page as she read the critique.

"_'-Mills has found her forte, a collection of stills emulating and capturing real life while integrating a sense of storytelling will surely be a strength in her future projects. I look forward to see if Regina Mills fulfills her potential for surely great pieces will come from her great imagination and creativity.'_" Emma quoted the script, her voice edging on excitement with each passing word. She turned to Regina who sported a proud beam on her face, Emma's expression matching the brunette's. "Holy crap Regina, this is the hard to please lady!"

Regina rolled her eyes at the language but clapped her hands in front of her and nodded excitedly. "Ms. Ghorm, yes. She praised my work."

Emma extended her arms out. "You are amazing." With little thought she cupped Regina's cheeks and pulled her into a deep kiss, causing a giggle to erupt from the usually stoic woman. Emma tugged her body close, Regina's toes barely touching the ground as her arms wrapped around Emma's neck.

"Am I now?" Regina asked breathless as Emma dove for her neck, moving the brunette backwards toward Emma's bedroom door.

"Mmhmm," she nodded into her neck. "Want me to write out why?"

Regina shook her head using a free hand to blindly turn at the door knob behind her while the other one was preoccupied with pulling Emma's lips back toward her own by the base of her neck. "I want you to show me."


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer in Chapter One.**

**AN: I survived my first week of school with my sanity relatively intact! It is a pretty heavy course load, so I will try to update as frequently as possible. I was going to separate this into two chapters, but I figured you guys have waited long enough. Thank you all so much for your encouraging words! It means so much to me. Fair warning that angst is ahead.**

* * *

_I can't make it. I have a shoot all day today in Newark._

Emma stared blankly at the message on her cellphone fighting back disappointment and the slight sting of yet another canceled date. It had been like this all week with Regina as soon as the article had hit the newsstands. Apparently this Rachel Ghorm or whatever was like some fairy godmother, and one good recommendation from her set your career in motion. It was no wonder Regina was getting commissioned left and right to do shoots for magazines or to sponsor her for her next gallery. Emma was happy for her, thrilled that Regina's work was finally paying off, but she couldn't help but feel put off. She had taken the night off, feeling bad that all of her time from the last couple weeks had been spent at the bar, and had organized an outing with Henry and Regina to the mall. Her son had been ecstatic and even Emma was looking forward to a little quality time with her two favourite people.

But now that excitement had faded with Regina unable to make it. It was the third time that week Regina had been too busy with some work-related event or something, and who was Emma to deny her that? She couldn't even be upset about it. She had canceled on Regina as well over the past couple of weeks and not once did the brunette hold bitter feelings over her.

Sighing dejectedly, Emma typed a response and set her phone down. It was time to break the news to Henry. She stood and made her way to her son's room where he lay on his stomach, a pillow under his chin and a few comics scattered around him. The latest Wolverine comic was opened before him as his eyes roved over the page to soak up the story and drawings.

Her soft knocking on the door alerted him to her presence, and Emma leaned against the door frame, her arms crossed and her head resting on the doorjamb as Henry looked up and pushed up on his arms to acknowledge his mother's presence.

"Are we going now?" Henry asked, already rolling off of the bed and putting on his shoes. "Is Regina here or are we gonna meet her?"

Emma gave him a tight lipped smile, the apology in them evident as she remained quiet just a half a second longer. Henry paused in tying his laces, and Emma couldn't help but notice he was giving her the same look she always got whenever she was unexpectedly called in to work.

"It's just gonna me and you today, kid," she explained.

"Oh." He dropped his other shoe.

Emma stepped into his room and sat beside him, nudging him lightly. "Thanks, kid. I feel the love," she said dryly, but her voice just wasn't in the teasing.

"Is she working too?"

There was something in his voice that sounded familiar, something she had heard numerous times over the years, several times a week when he was younger and couldn't understand that Mommy couldn't tuck him in at night. Instead of trying to figure it out, she nodded and draped her arm over his shoulders. "Yeah, remember the clipping she showed you?"

He nodded his understanding.

"It was a big deal for her, so now that everyone knows how amazing of a photographer she is, they want her to work for them."

"We knew first," Henry pointed out petulantly.

Emma chuckled before leaning in conspiratorially. "Yeah, but that's because we're smarter than those critics."

He smirked, but like Emma's teasing, it didn't quite reach his eyes. He turned to look at her suddenly fearful. "Are you gonna go to work now that she can't come over?"

"What? No, Henry, why would I do that?" She asked confusedly.

He shrugged mumbling incoherent words before finally clearing his throat. "I haven't seen you that much lately either."

Emma's lips parted dumbfounded and speechless, guilt etching away at her as her son looked away from her, terrified of the consequences. With a heavy sigh, she tilted his chin upward with her free hand, their blue-green eyes locking. "I know," she whispered, the apology in her words not hard to find. "But tonight I'm here, and we're gonna make up for some lost time, okay?"

He nodded with a small smile, leaning into her for a one-armed hug.

"Come on, let's go to the center."

* * *

"This is the longest line up in the history of line ups," Emma complained not for the first time as she leaned against a giant candy cane, unzipping her red leather jacket and brushing it back to avoid the heat from standing in cramped corners for a long period of time.

Henry smirked and offered up his bag of Superkid Kernels popcorn to ease his mother's grouchiness. "We're almost to the front."

She mumbled her acknowledgment but accepted the popcorn nonetheless. She had made it a mission to give Henry a good day, so after his time at the youth center where Frederick had the kids play dodgeball, she took him to the mall as planned where they visited every toy shop, candy store and bookstore it possessed. She made a mental note of some of the things he truly had his eye on before ushering him off to meet Santa.

She remembered being a kid and seeing all the TV show Christmas specials where the children got to meet Santa in the mall, sit on his lap and get their picture taken, but Emma wasn't as fortunate. Her foster parents rarely got off their asses let alone take the kids to the mall and stand in line to see some dressed up man. But still, every time those specials came on, she was always reminded that she couldn't see Santa and couldn't get her Christmas wish to him. She had vowed to make it a tradition with her own kid, so from the moment she found out she was pregnant to now, waiting in line with her nine-year old, Emma and Henry had gotten their picture taken with Santa.

"So what are you gonna ask Santa for this year?" Emma asked happily munching away on the snack.

"I can't tell you," he said obviously, giving her an incredulous look. "Then I won't get it."

"It's not the same thing as a birthday wish, kid."

"It's more important. Only Santa can know."

Emma rolled a noncommittal shoulder as the line moved forward. She craned her neck to see how many people were in front of her. Sweet. Only two more families to go.

"What did you get Regina?" Henry piped up suddenly.

Emma whipped her head to him, gawking for a moment too long.

"You got her something, right?"

Truth be told, Emma had been thinking of what to get for her girlfriend for a while now. She initially thought of doing something simple, having an intimate dinner with her and going ice skating at Rockefeller Center, but just as they had passed by Peoples, Emma spotted a sterling silver bracelet with pearl-shaped amethyst stones embedded in it. _That_ was something Regina Mills would love for Christmas, not some simple outing to go ice skating. Catching sight of the price tag, Emma debated if she should buy it. She had made more than enough for Christmas gifts and then some. When Henry tugged her off into another direction, Emma made a mental note to return for the bracelet.

"I'm working on it," Emma finally answered.

Henry raised his eyebrow skeptically, but Emma nudged him forward to avoid his questioning gaze. He didn't budge, however, and continued to scrutinize his mother before she broke.

"I was thinking jewelry," She answered shyly, inadvertently spilling popcorn to the ground with her exaggerated shrug. "It'd be our first Christmas, and you know, it's a big holiday, and what do you get a woman who can afford everything?"

"Nothing," Henry shrugged. "Do something for her."

She raised her eyebrow as if he were on to something. "Like what?"

"I don't know, I'm nine," he pointed out. "But you're good at doing stuff when we can't go out."

Emma pondered his suggestion as she gave up the bag of popcorn when Henry tugged it from her. That ice skating idea didn't sound half bad anymore, and Emma couldn't get the image of Regina clutching onto her as she skated backwards to keep her upright. Her lips tilted upwards at the thought, but the bracelet would be so perfect for Regina. There was no way she wouldn't love it.

She was so lost in thought she barely even noticed that it was their turn until Henry was tugging on her hand to pull her under the intricately carved archway that held Santa's chair and the big man himself. Henry shrugged off his coat and scarf, decked out in a red woollen sweater, before taking his spot beside Santa in his enormous chair.

Emma lingered by the archway allowing her son some time to speak with the jolly old man with wiry white hair and half-moon spectacles. She was strategically close enough to hear Henry speak with Santa though.

"I don't really want any toys or anything this year," she heard Henry say.

"Oh?" Santa asked surprised. "And why is that?"

He shrugged. "It'd be nice if my mom was home more often. She works a lot, but I know she does it for me."

Emma's heart sank as she shut her eyes to hide from the guilt that gnawed at her.

Santa nodded understandingly. "I think she does that for you."

"I know."

She opened her eyes just in time to catch Santa's eye. She smiled, a small hesitant smile showing she had heard all they had said.

"I will try my best," Santa promised before motioning over to Emma with his head. "Is that your mom there?"

Henry turned his head to look and grinned. "Yeah."

Emma walked over when Santa motioned over for her and took her spot beside his chair.

"You have a good young man here," Santa said with a nod of approval. "You raised him well."

She chuckled bashfully. "I try."

Before long, Emma and Henry were posed with the man, Henry smiling from beside him on his chair and Emma seated on his other side as the flash went off for the picture. Henry collected his candy cane and belongings while Emma waited for the picture to print. By the time he joined her again, she showed him the picture and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, giving it an extra tight squeeze. "Think you're gonna get what you want this year?"

He looked up at her with a hopeful smile. "Yeah. I think so."

* * *

Emma's determination to make this a fun day for Henry had her cracking lame jokes and teasing the kid as soon as they pulled away from the mall. He would roll his eyes at her, but she could see the corner of his lips tug up happily.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye as he gazed intently at the photo. "What's up, kid?" She asked as she smacked her dashboard a few times to get the heater to work.

"Do you think we should take one with Regina?" Henry asked holding up the photo. "She would have been in it if she were here."

Henry was right, Emma thought. Regina would have fought it, claiming it was their tradition, but she would have been secretly pleased when Emma would undoubtedly drag her to Santa. "You know what? You want to go see her?"

"Really? Are we allowed?"

"Yeah, I crash her shoots all the time. How do you think I met her?"

"I thought she lost a bet."

Emma scowled remembering the day Regina had told him that. "No. Plus it wouldn't be losing a bet meeting me. I'd be the prize."

"Okay, Mom," Henry said, letting Emma feel better about herself.

"Ready for a road trip?"

* * *

Nearly an hour later, Emma and Henry found themselves pulling up to Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart where Regina was scheduled to be all day. She zipped her jacket all the way up as she shut her car door with a creak then stepped around the front of the car to walk beside Henry who was quickly pulling on gloves to protect from the cold as he gazed up at the stone church with wide eyes, its towers standing proud against the harsh wind.

"Woah," he breathed out. "It's like Notre Dame."

"Without the hunchback," Emma added, taking his hand and leading him up the steps.

"So why is she here all day?"

Before Emma could answer, she saw to the left of the field of land the church stood on was a gathering of people, models Emma presumed, dressed in gothic Victorian era clothing. The women's hair, high, teased and curled, wore corsets with big flowing skirts of blacks, dark purples, and deep blues and greens, while the men, with their slick backed hair, wore fitted trousers and tailored vests to match the women, the ruffles of their shirts sticking out from the v-neck design.

Emma looked taken aback by the sheer number of models. She had never seen one of Regina's shoots this big or including so many people. Usually it was just Regina and one or two models at a time, but this was an entire event. It was as if Emma had stepped into a Tim Burton movie.

"Well that's probably why," Emma answered drawing her son's attention to the group under a tented area. Veering him off the path to the group, Emma and Henry weaved through the models in search of Regina.

It took them a while to find her since Henry was soaking up the scene with wide curious eyes. Being Emma's son, he had noticed the snack table filled with beverages and finger sandwiches, and despite how tasty they looked, Emma had to remind him they were for the models, but his pleading eyes and his ever grumbling stomach had her relenting, sneaking him a few sandwiches and situating him beside the table as she went off in search of the brunette. It was only because of Regina's harsh and very loud yelling into a phone was Emma able to find her.

She was located by the side of the church with a group of models who lingered about under the archway of the windows as she continued giving whoever was on the other end a firm tongue lashing. Seeing Regina act out like that made Emma thankful she was on the receiving end of Regina's temper only a handful of times. With an aggravated huff, Regina ended her call with an infuriated push before turning back to the models, who for their part looked intimidated by their photographer. She smirked as Regina's disposition immediately changed from infuriated to professional.

Emma sped up her walking as soon as she saw Regina was off the phone and mentally grinned at her brilliant idea to surprise her. She was within earshot now, and Emma could hear Regina apologize for the delay as she voiced their positions and snapped pictures. Carefully sneaking up behind Regina, Emma poked the brunette's side and stole a kiss on the cheek causing Regina to shriek out in surprise. In her shock Regina had nearly dropped her camera, and it was only due to Emma's quick reflexes from all those nights of just barely catching shaker bottles did the SLR not crash to pieces on the ground.

"Emma!" Regina yelled as soon as she saw the shock of blonde hair in her vision.

"Hi," Emma greeted sheepishly holding out the device as a peace offering.

"What are you doing here?" Regina deadpanned, taking the camera back and clutching it to her chest.

"I miss you too," Emma replied dryly earning herself an impatient eyeroll from Regina. "We just wanted to surprise you."

"We?"

"Henry's around here. He found the food table."

"The caterer seems to be the only competent person here today," Regina replied snippily.

"Rough day?"

Regina opened her mouth to answer but remembered the models behind her. Emma could tell Regina was still in photographer mode, and Emma had sat in on more than her fair share of shoots with Regina to know that not only did Regina mean business and was professional through and through, but she was scary when she was stressed and that combination was something Emma did not want to witness. So with an understanding nod, Emma watched as Regina pulled the strap around her neck and turned back to her models, positioning them precisely against the stone structure as she moved around to capture the light in just the right way.

Emma lingered for a few minutes more hoping Regina would take a moment to speak with her like she did in her in-studio shoots but awkwardness took its toll over Emma for the blonde shoved her hands in her jean pockets and turned to scamper back to the tent to search for Henry.

"Yeah, but how can you like DC after they rebooted the entire universe?" She heard Henry's voice as soon as she wandered into the tent and found her son standing in the middle of a group of models dressed from the Victorian era. It was a sight to see.

"Henry," she called and caught his attention. She gave him a confused look, her eyes squinting unsure how to process the sight before her then chuckled when Henry waved off his newfound friends and made his way to his mother.

"Did you find her?"

Emma nodded. "She's pretty busy though."

"Oh." His face fell disappointed.

"Hey," she nudged him. "Maybe we can catch her on break."

* * *

It was a long day waiting for Regina to be done. Problems seemed to be arising left and right frustrating the brunette to no end, and all Emma could do was stay clear out of her way. There was a miscommunication with the parish priest, and Regina nearly tore her hair out when the Father said he received no word that Regina could take pictures inside the cathedral. After an insistent request to double check his records, the priest apologized and allowed Regina and her models inside. That instance alone delayed her close to an hour, and that was just one of many. More than once Emma had offered her help, but Regina had become even more flustered and short leaving Emma to her own devices since Henry had entertained himself with talking to the remaining models.

As the air became nippier, Emma was ready to go home after sitting around eating cut up sandwiches and listening to Henry rant about comics. She stood and silently motioned for Henry to go which he did with reluctance. Apparently not all models were airheads and some were in fact pretty cool, Emma had figured out after observing her son interact with them. She didn't want to bother Regina just to say goodbye, so she took Henry's hand and led them back to their car.

"I didn't get to hang out with Regina," Henry complained with a pout as they walked back to the main path.

"I know, kid," Emma sighed. "Maybe sometime this week."

Emma's phone beeped, and she let go of Henry's hand to reach for her phone in her back pocket. She furrowed her brows when she saw it was from Regina.

**You left?**

Emma typed back a response. _Yeah. It was getting late, and we didn't want to get in your way._

She took Henry's hand and continued walking to the car. By the time they had slipped in and were buckled, her phone buzzed again.

**I'm sorry you drove all this way just to watch me work. **

Emma kicked herself over the head as she read the text. What was she expecting really? Regina had told her she would be busy. It was hard to be frustrated at the brunette, but there it was. Emma had hoped Regina would have made more time for them, and when it didn't happen, disappointment settled in.

_My fault. Rain check this week?_

**I can't. I'm meeting with some colleagues in Michigan, and I won't be returning until next Tuesday. **

Emma squinted at the phone. When the hell was she going to tell her about Michigan? Biting the inside of her cheek, she sent a quick text saying they'd figure something out before starting the ignition and driving away.

* * *

"Do you ever go home?" Ruby asked as she caught a shaker a fellow bartender threw her way before swinging it around her body like nunchucks and tossing it back.

"You make it sound like I live here." Emma flung two beer dispenser guns at her side like she was in a western before pressing down on the nozzle and filling up a round of beer. How she was able to keep a saucy smile on her face without yawning was quite the impressive feat.

"It kinda looks like you do." Ruby grabbed the tray of beer and began sliding them across the bar to the respective patrons, giving a man's lingering gaze a playful wink. She was quick to grab a tequila bottle from under the counter and as soon as Emma began flinging out shot glasses her way she poured the alcohol into them. "You're here way before I am and you close whenever you work, which has been every day this week. You might as well move a bed into August's office."

"It's the holidays, Rubes," she explained. "People are extra nice tippers then."

"I think you're just missing Regina," the brunette teased. "Got used to those warm nights?"

Emma scoffed shaking her head amused at her friend as she began pouring alcohol into a shaker. Ruby wasn't far off the mark. She was missing Regina, but she had been missing her long before Regina had left on her trip. God, when was the last time either of them had spent the night together? The realization made her nervous. She couldn't help but hear a familiar voice telling her that Regina was where she was supposed to be, extremely successful in her career, well off, happy. She pushed the voice aside and took her frustration out on the shaker, tossing it harder than intended. She dropped the bottle.

"Wow." Ruby eyed the fallen aluminum shaker with shock. "You must really miss her."

Emma flushed furiously and picked up the bottle. Shit, she hadn't dropped anything in years. She did one more toss behind her back for good measure before pouring the drink and sliding it over to the thankfully too inebriated to notice man. "The bottle was slippery," Emma defended.

"Right," Ruby dismissed. "How is the Princess, anyway?"

"Amazing," Emma answered automatically, stammering when Ruby gave her a knowing look. "No, not like- I mean yeah. I mean she's doing well. She's been really taking off."

"You sound disappointed," the brunette noted before holding up a finger to take a drink order. As soon as it was filled she looked expectantly at Emma who had busied herself with drying off tumblers fresh from the dishwasher.

"I'm not disappointed," Emma defended. "I'm happy for her."

Ruby raised an eyebrow and walked over to Emma, taking the glass Emma had been drying for the last thirty seconds. "Then why do you look like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you have some plan that you know nobody will like. Are you seriously intimidated by a woman with a good job?"

Emma huffed and ran a hand through her hair. "No," Emma shook her head with a resigned sigh. "It just feels like lately I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop. When she realizes that I'm holding her back."

Shaking her head and ignoring Ruby's silent plea to talk, Emma turned to a man with a scruffy chin and hair to match. He leaned over the counter resting on one arm and motioned for Emma to lean in closer. She resisted an eye roll, knowing men like him thought there were perks to her job, thinking a sizeable tip could persuade her. Instead she put on her best grin, mentally scoffed and leaned in closer.

"What's your speciality?" He asked, his voice just as gruff as he looked.

Emma pulled back playing coy. "I hope you mean drinks." Without waiting she grabbed a tumbler from under the counter and scooped ice into it before tilting up a bottle of their most expensive whiskey.

He laughed, his cheeks crinkling into large dimples. "I'm Neal."

"Hi," Emma answered with a tilt of her head as she slid his glass over to him.

He took his glass and slid over cash. "What's your name?"

Emma shrugged playfully and slid over his change. As soon as her hand crossed over the counter, he placed his hand over hers. Dammit. It was one of those nights.

"You're not gonna tell me?"

She knew guys like him. Hell, Henry's father was a guy like him, and there was no way in hell she'd go down that path again. She glanced down at his hand before steeling her glare on his, intent clear. He pulled his hand back in mock surrender, taking a long sip of his drink. "All right. Maybe I'll find out later."

Emma smirked. "If you're lucky."

Suddenly the music changed and increased in volume. The familiar bars of Def Leppard's 'Pour Some Sugar on Me' ringing throughout the speakers. "Emma!" She mentally shut her eyes hearing her name from several of her regulars. "Dance, Emma!"

The other bartenders began clapping over their heads in time with the music as the crowd started to cheer. She unfortunately locked eyes with Neal who raised his eyebrows. "Emma, huh? Must be my lucky night."

Rolling her eyes, Emma stepped onto the counter and almost instantly it was free of glasses or bottles. She whipped her hair back and turned around, swaying her hips suggestively before bending over, her leather pants hugging her ass tightly making the crowd go wild. With a snap, she pulled back up and slapped a hand on her hip as she turned her torso to look out and grin.

Already bills were held up in the air as the tip jar was being passed around. She continued dancing, sliding down onto her knees so she was nearly chest to chest with the counter, gyrating her body to the beat as she whipped her hair back and trailed her fingers down her chest. Leaning over the edge to playfully use the head of a man to help her up, she stood and danced to the other side of the counter, smirking at the man who was the envy of all his friends for nearly having his face in Emma's chest.

The chorus built up when Emma got to the other side and took a hold of the pole, swaying her hips as she danced around it before grabbing it and swinging herself up and upside down as the chorus hit. She descended slowly, but before she touched back down she used momentum to swing rightside up and hook her legs around the pole, holding on with one hand as she let the other fall over her head while she leant back.

The song continued on as Emma danced, but the highlight for the crowd was when Emma was sliding down the pole and Ruby had the genius idea to spray her friend with water, soaking her white t-shirt completely through. Emma made a mental note to return Ruby's Christmas gift for that antic, but by the time she was finished the dance in the middle of the counter with a final wet hair flip, she had caught sight of the tip jar and was ecstatic to see it full. Adding that to the tips she had made on her person, and Emma counted this one as a very good night.

She walked the length of the counter closest to their backrooms in the hopes of changing, but her dripping form was leaving droplets on the bar and her stiletto boots held no friction at all. She tripped on a small puddle of water, and, Emma being Emma, it was neither graceful nor sexy. She nearly fell on her ass, but before she could smack against the counter, a strong pair of arms caught her.

The adrenaline from the dance and the fall had Emma's heart racing, and quite frankly, she was just happy she hadn't made a fool of herself. She pulled her hair back to thank her saviour, immediately losing the grateful smile on her face.

"It must be my lucky day," Neal said with a grin.

Emma chuckled awkwardly as she squirmed to get out of his grasp. He eventually put her down, and Emma gave him a thankful nod. "Nice catch."

"Usually I would offer to buy you a drink, but you'd end up pouring your own."

Emma chuckled half-heartedly. How many times had she heard that one? "Thanks, but I'm on the job." She stepped by him and weaved through the crowd, but he kept blocking her path. She groaned obviously annoyed at his persistence before taking hold of his shoulders and keeping him steady so that she could maneuver by him.

When she thought she was in the clear, she felt his hand on her arm tugging her back. "What time do you get off?"

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked around for any witnesses. If this guy couldn't take a hint she'd be force into some rash action she was all too willing to do. Instead of reacting she took a calming breath and spoke, her tone leaving no room for discussion. "Here's the thing, I'm really not interested in you, so unless you want to get escorted out of here, I suggest you walk away."

He chuckled, a mixture of his buzzed state and his lack of common sense causing him to lean forward nearly colliding face to face with Emma. "Come on, one drink won't kill you."

"She said no."

Emma's eyes widened when she heard Regina's voice. Not only was she not expecting her girlfriend, but Regina was clearly pissed off. Emma was temporarily stunned that Regina was there, three days early, and clearly hadn't stopped at home to change if her fitted grey blazer, pencil skirt and stockings were anything to go by. She looked reminiscent of the first time Emma had met her, out of place in a hole-in-the-wall bar like this. Emma was all too aware of the stark contrast, but before her mind could do anything about it, Regina was storming right in front of a momentarily dumbfounded Neal. She pushed him aside with a firm finger to his chest. "I highly suggest you take your inebriated self away before you do anything you'll regret."

Neal simply looked Regina up and down before glancing between both the blonde and brunette, his night entirely made with two gorgeous women by his side. He stepped toward Regina, his fingers brushing her arm. "How about you, beautiful?"

Emma almost scoffed at his blatant misogyny, but it died on her lips when Regina's lips were suddenly on hers, her tongue immediately in Emma's mouth as she made a show that the blonde was clearly taken. Dazed and pleasantly light headed and still in shock that Regina was in the bar, Emma could only listen as Regina's arms were still weaved around her neck before she turned a threatening gaze to Neal. He enjoyed the show a second too long before scampering off, message loud and clear.

Even as they watched him disappear, Regina's hold on Emma was possessive, and judging by how close they had pressed together when Regina had attacked her lips, the brunette's own blazer was beginning to dampen. "You're back early," Emma smirked, remembering herself and weaving her hands behind Regina's waist.

Regina turned her glare to Emma. "Do not flirt with other people."

"I was not," Emma said offended. "He hit on me."

"And do not dance like that again," Regina said seriously. "Do you have any idea how enticing you looked up there?"

Emma forgot to be offended and was thoroughly amused by the brunette's jealousy. She dipped her head to kiss the corner of Regina's mouth before whispering against plump lips. "How enticing?"

Even in the dim lighting of the bar, Emma could see Regina's eyes darken with lust. Grinning wickedly, Regina tugged Emma down by the nape of her neck catching her bottom lip between her teeth before their lips moved over one another's in a familiar dance of lust and desire.

A burst of cold water shot at Emma's exposed lower back causing her to shriek in surprise and press closer to Regina in her haste to get away. By the hysterical cackling alone, she turned a displeased glare at Ruby who had decided the rarely used water nozzle was in sore need of attention. "You're on the clock, Emma," Ruby smirked before winking at Regina. "Maybe Emma can breathe again now that you're back."

Emma shook her head as Ruby sauntered off and was met with an amused smirk on Regina's face. "'Breathe again'?"

"Don't listen to her." Emma gave the older woman's arm a squeeze before heading back to the change room. "I get off at two."

"Must be _my_ lucky night."

* * *

Emma lay wide awake under Regina's cool silk sheets, the naked brunette lying on her side away from Emma. Regina's room didn't have any windows, but the open concept of her bedroom allowed Emma to see down into the main living area where the room was basked in a deep blue light from the moon. If she focused hard enough on the shadows, she could see faint specks of snow. Henry would love to wake up and see snow on the ground.

She winced at the thought of Henry, sleeping at Ashley's place while Emma was here, laying on a memory foam mattress with silk sheets around her and her head on a goose down pillow. Who would have thought Emma Swan would ever get to experience that? Slipping out of bed, Emma scoured the floor in search of her clothes. She found her underwear and pulled it on, giving her shirt the same treatment.

Regina's breathing had broken its even pattern, and soon Emma was watching as Regina turned around to face her, sleep etched on her face. "Where are you going?"

"Cold," Emma explained half-heartedly, hating that she had almost thought about sneaking out on Regina. She eased back into bed staring up at the ceiling again when Regina sidled closer and rested her head the hand of her crooked elbow.

Regina stretched out her legs, allowing her body to sink into the bed then gave Emma a lazy smile. "How come we don't sleep here more often?"

"Getting sick of my place already?" Emma half joked.

"I don't miss your mattress," Regina teased.

Emma pursed her lips but said nothing, her gaze focused on the unblemished ceiling.

"What now?" Regina had pushed herself up on her hands to gaze down at Emma. There was concern in her tone, but Emma could swear she detected irritation.

She turned her head to face the brunette and placed a reassuring hand on her waist. "Nothing. I'm just tired."

"Then you should get some sleep."

Emma shook her head. "I gotta head home soon."

Regina nodded understandingly. "I brought back something for you and Henry."

"You didn't have to."

"I know," Regina shrugged casually. "Perhaps I can pick him up from school on Monday and we can have an early dinner before you work."

Emma brought up her work schedule in her mind, but she already knew she would be working doubles as she had been for over a week. "I work early."

Regina looked pleased. "Then we'll pick you up from work."

"No, I have a back-to-back shift," Emma explained.

"Oh." Regina looked confused and disappointed.

Emma perked up and pressed a hand on Regina's arm. "How about Wednesday? Me, you, and Henry. Dinner at Marco's?" She had cash to splurge after all.

Regina shook her head. "I have an important meeting the following Monday morning and need time to prepare." She gave a small smile accompanied with a proud blush. "The owners of Gold Photogrpahy have requested to see my portfolio. It will really open up doors if they approve."

"Of course they will," Emma smiled softly at her news, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

They barely saw each other as it was. How were they supposed to keep this up when Regina would be traveling for shoots or holding extravagant parties like Jefferson, or when Emma worked just as often? The thought terrified her.

She masked the uncertainty in her eyes by pressing a kiss to both of Regina's eyelids just before the brunette settled into her side.

* * *

"I'm glad you've decided to grace us with your presence," Regina teased as Kathryn walked into their usual coffee shop the following Sunday over half an hour late.

"I could have very well said the same for you," Kathryn defended. "How is Emma anyway?"

Regina dipped her head as they stood from the table Regina had waited at in order to stand and order their coffees. "I probably know as much as you do to be quite honest," the brunette admitted quietly.

Kathryn whipped her head to her friend and held her shoulder to capture her gaze. "What do you mean?"

Regina shrugged a noncommittal shoulder, but she knew her friend looked concerned. "We've both been quite busy the last month. I've seen her only a handful of times."

"Is anything wrong?"

"No," Regina answered far too quickly, but she continued staring ahead examining the overhead menu even though she already knew she wanted a hot apple cider.

Thankfully Kathryn had remained silent, and within minutes they were leaving the counter with their drinks in hand and sitting down in a secluded booth near the back of the cafe. Regina popped the lid of her cider and blew gently into the steaming brew to cool it down to drinking temperature.

"Regina..." The brunette knew that tone of her friend and shut her eyes briefly before staring down hard at her.

"Don't." Regina cut her off with a wave of her hand. "There's nothing to discuss. It's perfectly normal."

"Just because you two work funny hours doesn't mean you go a month without seeing each other."

"I saw her last week," Regina countered.

"And?" The blonde pressed, placing a firm hand over Regina's.

Regina knew that as soon as Kathryn initiated contact that she was not going to relent. Her friend had a way of drawing information out of her, and it irked and relieved Regina to have someone to talk to, but right now she didn't even know what to say, which was unusual for the brunette who hid behind her words.

Regina sighed and sipped her uncovered cider, her gaze fixated on the liquid when she brought it back down to the table. "She seems distant, I suppose."

"Wait, _Emma's_ the distant one?"

"Is that so surprising?" Regina snapped.

"Yes," Kathryn admitted honestly. "Regina, it's no surprise everyone has their defences, but yours are thicker than most."

"Apparently it rivals Emma's then," the brunette responded bitterly.

"Well, how exactly is she distant?"

Regina mulled the words over and over again in her mind. Quite frankly she was unable to truly pinpoint what is was that seemed distant about Emma, but the biting voice in the back of her mind that sounded too much like her mother reminded her that perhaps Emma stopped feeling anything for Regina, that she was pulling away, making herself busy as an excuse to grow apart. She fidgeted with the ring on her finger, using her thumb to loosen it just a bit before twisting it around her middle finger.

"I'm not sure," Regina said hesitantly, hating how quiet and weak her voice sounded. "It's as if we don't have time for each other anymore, and when we do see each other, sometimes it's like she's not completely there, or that she has other things on her mind."

"Why don't you talk to her?"

"When? I just said we barely see each other anymore," Regina said indirectly agitated at the blonde. "Do keep up, dear."

Kathryn pursed her lips and rolled her eyes at Regina's retort. "When you _do_ see her."

"She's already stressed out as it is with her working overtime. If you think I have a temper..." Regina drawled dryly.

Kathryn sighed complacently before giving Regina's hand a final squeeze. "You two need to talk. You seem happier with her, and I'd hate for you to lose a good thing."

Regina gave a curt nod, a final dismissal on the subject just as Kathryn retracted her hand. Regina busied herself by drinking her cider, mentally hissing at the hot sting sliding down her throat, but it was better than looking at Kathryn who was clearly not done with the subject but resigned anyway.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Kathryn asked excitedly.

Before Regina could answer, her phone beeped indicating a text. She rifled through her purse to pull out her device and found the message to be from Emma.

"Her ears must be ringing," she muttered to herself before opening her messages.

_Hey, can you do me a huge favour? _

She murmured an apology to Kathryn for the interruption before responding.

**Is something wrong? **

_I have work at 1 today, and Alexandra came down with a really bad fever, so Ashley can't take Henry. Would you be able to watch him? _

**Of course. **

Regina immediately typed back her response then looked back up to Kathryn. "I have to go."

"Emma?"

"Technically Henry." Regina stood and replaced the lid on her drink before collecting her purse and weaving her scarf back around her neck. Kathryn smiled softly at the affection in her voice as she nodded understandingly.

"Talk to Emma while you're there."

Regina gave her friend a sideways glare just before exiting the shop.

* * *

It was supposed to be a simple babysitting job. Regina had done it countless times with no incident. She would watch Henry, Emma would climb into bed at some point during the night, and then they would have breakfast. Some mornings Emma and Henry would walk Regina down on their way to drop Henry off at school while Regina headed off to her studio.

But this time wasn't as simple.

Emma hadn't climbed into bed sometime during the night. In fact, she hadn't climbed in at all. She had come walking in through the door well after ten that morning, well after Regina had woken up to an empty bed and had to prepare Henry's breakfast and lunch herself, after she had dropped him off at school, and certainly well after her 9 am meeting with Gold Photography.

With no call or text as to her absence, Regina was livid by the time Emma walked in, gauze taped to her chest, as she kicked off her boots and slumped on the couch, grabbing pillows to cover her face to shield it from the light of the sun.

Regina snatched the pillows away from Emma who squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm tired," she moaned.

"_Where were you?_" Regina snapped whipping the pillow back at Emma's face. The blonde scrambled up on impact and got to her feet, though Regina refused to back up as Emma glared down at her for the attack.

"I was in the hospital," Emma said as a matter of fact, crossing her arms over her chest in defiance. Regina's eyes softened as Emma continued. "I broke up a bar fight at closing and some guy cracked a beer bottle to get at the other guy and I stepped in front of him and got cut. The cops had to come by, and there were reports and then I needed stitches-"

"_Wait._" Regina held up her hand and pulled her head back taken aback. "You inserted yourself into a bar fight?"

Emma dipped her head in surprise. "Uh, yeah. It's part of my job."

"Your job is to serve alcohol. August should have been there to handle it."

"He was there."

"Then you just put yourself in harm's way for the sheer pleasure of it?" Regina crossed her arms with a sneer.

"People could have gotten hurt."

"You did!" Regina's tone increased reflexively. "How deep was the cut?"

"Just a couple stitches," Emma said with a shrug while Regina rolled her eyes. "So you're mad at me for doing the right thing?"

"I'm mad at you because you refuse to look at the bigger picture in life, how your actions affect everyone around you." Regina waved her hand around the room to emphasize her point but her lowered tone had already sent the message loud and clear.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Emma asked with her hands on her hips.

"It means your son had to wake up and you weren't there. He was the one who already knew how to make himself breakfast and make his own lunch and he basically walked to school by himself with me trailing behind him."

Emma scoffed and shook her head. "You're mad because you couldn't get him ready for school all by yourself? He's nine, Regina. He knows how to do these things."

"He's known how to do them since he was six!" Regina spat.

Emma's eyes flashed dangerously. "Don't. Don't even go there."

Regina could see the threat in Emma's tone, but still she continued to spit fire in her fury. "If the fact that you're not part of your son's life isn't enough, how about that your failure to have common sense made me miss the opportunity of a lifetime."

"Oh, now we've brought this back to you, have we?" Emma threw her hands in the air in annoyance. "It's _your_ career, _your_ success. Why the hell do you think I've been working so much? So that you don't have to. So that Henry can go into any toy store and pick out whatever he wants. So that for once things would be easier."

Emma turned gritting her teeth and opened the fridge to pull out a jug of water and poured herself a glass. She downed the drink like a shot.

"That's it?" Regina lowered her voice, but the scoff in it was evident. "You've been cancelling on me and, more importantly, missing out on your son's childhood just to chase wads of paper from drunken men?"

Emma slammed her glass down on the counter. "No." She turned and pointed a menacing finger at Regina. "You don't get to say that. _Wads of paper?_ It's only like that to you because you were sucking on a silver spoon as soon as you were born."

"Oh, like you would know."

"I do!" Emma yelled. "People like you will never know what it's like to be like me, to live paycheck to paycheck and to debate if you want a roof over your head or food in your stomach. People like me can't just drop everything and decide to go to a whole new college after graduating from the first one just because Daddy left us an inheritance that could have solved world hunger!"

Regina jabbed at Emma's shoulder before grabbing her chin with her free hand and bringing her face closer to hers. "Never speak about my father like that."

Emma's eye twitched in defiance just before Regina released her by pushing her away. Regina stalked to the door and pulled open the adjacent closet door with force.

"No, you wanted to talk, let's talk." Emma grabbed Regina's peacoat from out of her hands and tossed it on the table. "What do you want me to do, Regina? Quit my job? Be your arm candy to parade around to your friends while they snicker to my face?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"No, what's ridiculous is that you think what I'm doing is wrong."

"I never said that-"

"What do you expect me to do, to tell your mother to keep the checks coming?"

Regina froze, her eyes widened as Emma's face moved from angry to confusion to horrified shock. Regina pulled back, her palm up to press Emma away in realization. "My mother – you…"

"No, she gave me a check and I just took it home and–" Emma stepped forward and rushed to clarify.

She could barely process Emma's words. All she knew was that Emma had accepted money from her mother, and despite Regina's naivety, she had an inkling that her mother was behind the downfall of all of her relationships in some shape or form, but this was something else entirely. It was more than just an ominous threat. It was a payoff and Emma had accepted. Emma wasn't supposed to be like everyone else. She was supposed to be different.

Regina stepped back, her eyes shining with unshed tears before a blink of the eye had them dry again, her expression cold and hardened. "She warned me about people like you," Regina said flatly, cutting off Emma's sentence as she turned to the door and wrenched it open.

Emma stilled and looked angry all over again. "People like me." Her voice was flat as her arms dropped to the side.

"Don't worry, dear. You won't have to worry about _somebody like me_ anymore." Regina slung her purse over her shoulder and slammed the door shut behind her. In her haste to leave, she had left her coat sitting on the breakfast table, but as soon as she stepped onto the stairs she could feel the sting of betrayal well up behind her eyes.

She ignored Ashley who had a fussy Alexandra slung on her hip as the young mother smiled tiredly and waved to Regina and continued to rush down the stairs. It wasn't until she was safely behind the wheel of her car did she release the gasp she had been holding in and allowed the tears to stream down her face.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer in Chapter One.**

**AN: To guest reviewer swan, let it be known that I have updated.**

* * *

"Where's Regina?"

Emma shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her hands clenched around the edge of the table as she sat with Henry that night at dinner. "Why?" She asked tightly.

"Is she coming to Christmas?" He asked innocently, shovelling the tater tots from his plate into his mouth.

"I'm not sure, kid," she answered quickly. "But I was thinking we could go down to the yard and get a real Christmas tree."

She motioned over to the corner of the living room where their artificial tree stood, still bare as per tradition to wait until Henry's first day of break before decorating it. Today was his last day of school, and god, what a day it had been. Not only had he questioned her of her location that morning, but he was frazzled when she told him she was at the hospital getting stitches. His nervousness died down as the hours passed, but it clearly didn't remove his interest in where Regina was.

"A real one?" He piped up excitedly.

"Yeah," she grinned relieved at the previous topic forgotten.

"Can Regina come?"

Emma's smile dropped. Or not. She gave a small smile before standing with her half eaten meal and placed it in the fridge. She answered him while her head was still in the confines of the cold box. "She's busy."

"Oh." Emma didn't have to see him to hear the dejectedness in his voice. She had been on the receiving end of that one too many times not to know what it sounded like, and the words that Regina threw at her that morning still stung. She hadn't even bothered to chase after the brunette after she had left. All she could think to do was slam a glass across the room in a mixture of anger and frustration before falling into a restless sleep, waking just in time to pick up Henry.

She stood up straight and closed the door with her hip, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned against the appliance with a thin smile. "So you want to get that tree?"

* * *

"You're in luck," the young teen employed at the Christmas tree yard said as he led Emma and Henry near the back, past the small and scrawny trees that no one had wanted. "There's at least one good one hidden in the back here."

Emma sighed out relieved as she placed her hands on Henry's shoulders from behind as they sloshed through the wet ground that had dampen from the evening's light drizzle of rain. She guided him through the sparse collection of trees until they were in front of a_ real_ Christmas tree, one that Emma had always wanted since she was a child. It was no bigger than five feet, but it was full, healthy and alive. She inhaled deeply, a pine scent filling her nostrils as she squeezed Henry's shoulders in confirmation. "This one?"

"Yeah," he grinned excitedly.

* * *

"Ow!" Emma muttered as she pushed the tree into the corner in the tree stand after she and Henry had disassembled their artificial one and placed it back in its box. "The damn twigs are poking me."

"They're called needles, I think."

"Yeah, well they're doing their job."

"I think you were supposed to keep the burlap on it before setting it up."

With a final push, the tree remained standing on its own, Emma wiping her hands in satisfaction for a job well done. "Too late for that."

She wiped the thin layer of sweat that formed on her brow before catching Henry looking up at the tree in her periphery. She nudged his shoulder lightly until he looked at her. "How about we break tradition for this year and start decorating early?"

"Really?" He asked glancing at the clock inconspicuously.

Emma smirked. "Yeah, it's your break. Stay up and decorate with your mom."

He grinned and ran to the closet where the ornaments were kept. It was a randomized collection of silver and gold balls with intricate designs painted on them along with homemade ornaments Henry had made throughout his years in school. At the bottom of the box was the tangled mess of multicoloured Christmas lights that Emma was designated to unwind. The centrepiece was the bright golden star, generic in its make, but Emma had always allowed Henry to place it atop the tree.

It took Emma nearly an hour to untangle the mess of lights, and in that time Henry had popped a bowl of popcorn and began weaving a string and needle through each kernel, another of their own little traditions.

"You know Regina's never strung popcorn before?" Henry said as he stuck his tongue out, carefully pressing the needle and thread through the kernel.

"I believe that," Emma murmured, her focus intent on trying to undo the last knot in the plastic cords.

"Why?"

"She doesn't seem the type."

"There are types?"

Emma coiled the lights around her arm into a neat bundle as she stepped to the tree and began unravelling it around its branches, cursing none too quietly with each poke. The fake tree never gave her this many stings. She sighed when she glanced back at Henry to see he was still waiting for an answer. "Some people string popcorn, other people get a decorator for their tree."

Henry furrowed his brows. "Maybe she just doesn't know how. We can teach her. She can come over tomorrow and-"

"_Henry_," Emma snapped. "She's not coming over tomorrow."

"Why not?"

"She has better things to do," Emma said bitterly as she turned back to the tree, lacing the lights around it.

"But I talked to her last night," he reasoned. "She said she'd talk to you to see if it was okay."

"People change their mind." Her tone left no room for discussion, and by the time she kneeled to the floor to plug in the lights, she hadn't realized Henry had remained silent until she stood, brushing her hair away from her face and turning to see her son looking crestfallen. She sighed. "Henry..."

He looked up giving a tight smile, his expression masked much too expertly for Emma's liking. She walked over to him and slumped on the couch beside him, adjusting the bowl of loose popcorn on the cushions to prevent any unnecessary spills. She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to get her words in order. God, this was why she never dated. People got attached and people got hurt. It just sucked that Henry was in the middle. She sighed heavily again before speaking. "Regina and I..."

"Are you guys fighting or something?" His question was blunt and to the point, and his wide imploring eyes demanded an answer. "We don't get to be together as a family anymore."

She ran a hand through her hair, frustration ebbing at her insides from still being angry at the brunette woman and hating that Henry had to suffer indirectly for another one of her actions. The word he had chosen to use had stung Emma as well, but there was only so much she could deal with at the moment. Despite her mind telling her to answer, all she could keep thinking was that they could have been a family, if things were different. If she was different. "We just need some time apart," she explained, gesturing with her free hand.

"That's all you two have been doing," he said accusingly, daring her to prove him wrong.

"Look," she sighed, her eyes wandering for a moment before looking back at her son. "It's complicated. It'll be fine."

"What happened?"

"No offence, kid, but that's really not any of your business."

"I'm not a kid anymore," Henry huffed, crossing his arms mimicking a position Emma took up often.

"You're nine." All she received was a look that said 'so what?', and even in that look she heard Regina claiming that he'd been able to take care of himself since he was six. She pushed the guilt aside, choosing instead to focus on the bitter feeling that Regina had the audacity to use Henry against her, to turn Henry against her. She shook her head fiercely and shot up from the couch. "Henry, I know that you want to see her, but you gotta learn that we don't always get what we want."

Henry glared at her before speaking, his voice low and pressing making sure she heard every word. "I know that." He leapt from the couch, the string of popcorn on his lap falling to the floor before retreating to his bedroom where the sound of him slamming the door echoed behind him.

Emma groaned under her breath, tugging at her hair. Perfect fucking day this turned out to be.

* * *

"Regina." Kathryn knocked on the brunette's dark room door in her studio for the third time, again receiving no answer. "I know you're in there, I can hear you moving around." The motion behind the door stilled causing the usually even tempered blonde to start banging on the door. "Regina!"

The door suddenly opened with Regina stepping out into Kathryn's space and shutting the door behind her to keep the light away from the room. Regina's glare was deadly, and despite Kathryn having rushed over to her friend's studio as soon as she got word that Regina had missed her meeting, the blonde kept her stance and leveled her own glare.

"Clearly if I didn't answer you the first two times means that I am preoccupied or wish not to entertain, so if you could be so kind as to _get out_, I would be much obliged." Regina's tone was sharp, and if she had said that to any other person, they would have quivered at their knees and sped off with their tail between their legs, but Kathryn had been friends with Regina for years and knew the brunette only lashed out to hide her feelings.

Kathryn didn't respond immediately and simply eyed Regina, watching the mixture of emotion swirl in deep brown eyes. Finally she asked softly, "What happened?"

There was a brief flicker of sadness fluttering across Regina's face, but with a blink of her eye it was gone, and Regina was pushing past Kathryn and walking to her side table where she kept a decanter of cider and poured herself a healthy amount, not even bothering to be a good host and offer Kathryn some. The blonde had already come over unannounced so to hell with pleasantries. "Nothing."

"You missed the meeting," Kathryn pointed out gently.

Regina slammed her glass down onto the table. "Let me guess. My mother found out and told you to get to the bottom of it."

"Yes, but I would have if she didn't. Have you tried calling and rescheduling?"

"No," Regina replied sarcastically. "The thought never crossed my mind."

"_Regina_," Kathryn said sternly, indicating she was in no mood for her friend's sarcasm. "You wouldn't miss it for no reason. Something happened this morning, and I refuse to leave until you tell me what."

They glared at each other for long minutes. Regina could count on one hand how many times Kathryn held her ground against her, but she refused to give in. She didn't want to talk. She wanted to rip apart everything within her reach. She wanted to scream and yell.

But Kathryn initiated contact and pressed a hand to Regina's arm, and the brunette couldn't help but spill to her friend.

* * *

She told her everything from the night before. Taking care of Henry, anxious about the meeting, angry with Emma, worrying over Emma, being angry with Emma again, fighting with her, crying over her.

Kathryn had never, in her entire friendship with Regina, seen the brunette so vulnerable. Regina was the hard one, the most put together, and never let her emotions interfere with her decisions, but sitting on her couch with the brunette wiping her eyes with Kleenex made Kathryn realize just how much Regina put into this relationship, why she rarely ever ventured into one, and she could faintly see the regret etched in brown eyes for going against what her brain warned her heart of.

She placed a hand on Regina's shoulder and squeezed gently. "So that's why she's been distant."

Regina nodded before rolling a shoulder and tossing her crumpled up Kleenex on her coffee table, her face a perfect mask of indifference, a stark contrast from what it was mere seconds earlier. "It was all in due time, I suppose." She scoffed to herself before standing and straightening the outfit she hadn't bothered to change from since the day before. "Her plan worked. She got what she wanted and she doesn't have to deal with me ever again."

"Regina-"

"No." The brunette turned sharply glaring down at Kathryn who still remained seated. "Mother was right. Mother said that she was one of those people constantly chasing money, and I defended her. I told my mother she was wrong, and look what happened. She _used_ me."

"Your mother was the one who gave it to her," Kathryn pointed out.

"To prove it, no doubt." Regina dismissed hastily as she paced the length of the room before slowing her steps to chew on her thumb nail in thought. She kept her back to Kathryn as she stared out the window and watched what little snow that accumulated on the ground turn to slush from the drizzle that had began an hour earlier. "I know what my mother's like," she admitted hesitantly, draping her free arm around her middle. "I just thought..."

"That Emma was different," Kathryn provided for her, standing to move closer to her friend.

Regina didn't nod or confirm, but her jaw set and her eyes shut not denying the claim.

Sighing sympathetically, Kathryn switched the topics. "What about Gold? Let's explain the situation and set up a new meeting."

Regina just nodded once before putting her tumbler back on the coffee table and moving to straighten the throw pillows on her couch. After the last pillow was fluffed, Kathryn didn't expect Regina to grab it and toss it across the length of her studio in fury. "_God_, she wasn't even apologetic about it! She was angry at me because I had somewhere important to be. She didn't care that I was worried sick about her. What kind of idiot doesn't pick up their phone to let someone know they've been in the hospital all night? _Goddammit_, am I really not worth it if given the choice between me and a check with some zeros on it?"

"Reg-"

"She didn't choose me, Kathryn," Regina snapped, the hitch in her voice strained her words and made the brunette tense her body. Her chest rose and fell from breathing heavily, seething out her frustrations but with a hard gulp she quieted down to a horrified whisper. "_She didn't want me_."

Kathryn closed the distance between herself and Regina and pulled the brunette into a hug that she immediately resisted. Regina pushed against Kathryn, but the blonde held on firmly until Regina couldn't help but relax and allow herself to be held. She didn't cry then, just stared off to one of her many white walls that held her black and white photographs, looking past the picture as if it weren't even there.

"Did you love her?" Kathryn asked quietly.

Regina stiffened, wanting to scoff and laugh at the blonde's question, but if she were asked that a month ago, her answer, though not direct, would imply that she was well on the path to no matter how hard she tried to deny it. But now, for once in her adult life, she didn't know what to say and simply pulled away from Kathryn, grabbing her glass of cider and the half empty decanter to retreat into the solitude and safety of her dark room.

* * *

"Hold on, she said _what_?" Ruby paused her sweeping of her grandmother's kitchen as Emma recounted her tale of the day before while pounding the bread dough she was meant to knead much too fiercely.

"Yeah," Emma said flatly. "Pretty much said I was a bad mom."

"You're joking."

The blonde shook her head just as Granny came in looking at the two girls over the top of her glasses. "I see you haven't managed to destroy my kitchen."

"Not this year." Emma gave the older woman a smile as she rolled the dough into a loaf and set it in a pan.

"Need I remind you Christmas four years ago?"

Emma blushed as Ruby cackled, the brunette rinsing her hands in the sink before moving to the counter to begin making sugar cookies. Granny whipped a dish rag at Ruby's waist who immediately stopped her laughing. "I've got stories about you too, girl."

It was Emma's turn to smirk as she sidled up beside her friend taking over the task of mixing dry ingredients while Ruby handled the wet ones. Granny moved fluidly around the kitchen, grabbing ingredients from the pantry and fridge and cooking as if it were already Christmas Day. There was nothing like a two day head start, Granny had insisted.

Emma never minded. She was grateful that Granny always invited her and Henry for dinner during the holidays, and with her son still upset with her from their spat the day before, Granny's baking and cooking was a pleasant distraction.

"So wait, what's this thing with her mom?" Ruby asked quietly as she creamed the egg, butter, and vanilla concoction in her metal bowl, mindful of her grandmother wanting no lolly gagging in her kitchen.

Emma bit the inside of her cheek, flushing at the question. "She tried to buy me off."

"_What_? Did she?"

"No of course not." Emma glared at Ruby. "You really think I would do that?"

"No, but does Regina know that?"

Again Emma bit the inside of her cheek, but this time she couldn't come up with a proper response. No, Regina didn't know that. The brunette had cut her off before she could explain, but the way things ended had left a foul taste in Emma's mouth, and she wasn't sure if she could handle speaking to Regina knowing how the brunette thought of her.

All it took was Emma's silence for Ruby to drop her fork and smack the blonde across the arm with the back of her hand. "Emma!"

"Ow!" She clutched her arm out of shock rather than pain, the baking clearly forgotten on the encounter. "What the hell was that for?"

"She doesn't know!" Ruby smacked her again.

"Okay, one: stop hitting me," Emma said moving her bowl to the furthest end of the counter avoiding Granny's watchful stare. "Two: what does it matter? She already thinks I'm a gold digger."

"What sort of mess are you in now?" Granny asked with a raised eyebrow and a hand on her hip.

"Nothing," the blonde muttered before stealing Ruby's bowl and adding the dry ingredients to it.

"She fought with her girlfriend because she doesn't know how to talk," Ruby provided dryly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's not only Emma who has that problem," Granny said pointing a wooden spoon at Ruby. "That was your grandfather's specialty." She turned back to the stove and began stirring the chilli in her pot. "So what doesn't your lady friend know?"

Emma sighed and kept her gaze focused on smoothing out the sugar cookie batter with her hands before she moved the big wad of dough onto a piece of wax paper and found the rolling pin. She thought she had stalled sufficiently until Granny sucked her teeth. "I ain't got all day, Emma. Spit it out or suck it up."

"It's nothing, really," Emma finally said as she thinned out the dough. "Regina - the girl I was...yeah - her and her family are pretty well off. Like, ridiculously well off. She's basically a hotel heiress." She ignored it when Granny whistled impressed. "Me and her mom sort of got into it when we first met, so she doubly doesn't like me since she thinks I'm a stripper and she thinks I'm no good and couldn't take care of her daughter and she tried to pay me off," Emma said in one breath.

The questioning look she received from Granny made her rush to clarify what the older woman was sure to be thinking. "But I didn't take it. And then I ended up having to deal with stuff at work the other day, so she had to take Henry to school and wound up missing this meeting, and then we got into an argument and she agreed with everything her mom said."

"So you're mad she said things in the heat of the moment," Granny stated more than asked.

Emma snorted and began slamming the snowman shaped cookie cutter into the dough with added force. "I'm mad because I _knew_ this would happen. She looks down on me because I'm not like all those hoity-toity rich people she hangs out with, and I tried so damn hard to do what she liked, and I even got her this expensive bracelet for Christmas that she probably wouldn't even give two shits about, and for what? I called it the second I saw her, but still, I was this big idiot who thought otherwise."

Granny stared at her for a long moment, and even Ruby had her gaze focused on the blonde. The only sound permeating the kitchen was the soft echoes of the narrator from _The Grinch_ as Henry sat in the den watching the cartoon. With an incline of her head, Granny dismissed Ruby, the brunette begrudgingly leaving the kitchen to keep Henry company letting Granny have a word with Emma.

Emma swallowed hard as she continued to be scrutinized by the aged woman's stare. Finally Granny slipped her glasses off and let them hang from the chain around her neck. "Did Ruby ever tell you about her grandfather?" Emma shook her head. "Stubborn fool. Died when she was eight just before her parents did. Now I'm not gonna tell you we had some romantic love affair with our families hating on one another like those Shakespeare plays, but we did have our issues. He couldn't tell me if my cooking was aggravating his allergies no more than he could tell me that he hammered his thumb in, which he did twice. The thing nearly fell off until I stumbled upon him wrapping it in ice and tape.

"What I'm saying is," Granny continued placing a hand on Emma's shoulder, "is that he didn't like to talk. It caused a lot of problems especially when he kept the big things quiet like the factory laying him off. We fought hard after that, but we loved harder. And maybe with you and Regina, if she's really all that she's cracked up to be, you'll be able to see that this keeping secrets from each other business is just gonna hurt you. She sounds like she was hurt just as much as you, hon."

With a pat to her cheek, Emma returned a half smile to Granny as she walked briskly back to her stove. Emma clutched the counter top fiercely, staring down at the arrangement of sugar cookies waiting to be placed in the oven as her mind processed the last five minutes, hell the last two days. Her feelings were hurt and her pride wounded, but she couldn't help but wonder and even hope that Regina was thinking of her too, if only for a little bit.

* * *

"I appreciate your help, dear." Cora sat behind the desk in her study sipping daintily on a glass of wine as Regina sat on the sofa, her mother's bookkeeping and bank statements organized precisely on the coffee table. "Your father was always the one to handle the numbers."

Regina nodded mutely not wiling to reveal her other motive for accepting her mother's request. She had originally arrived at her mother's mansion to confront the woman under the ruse of getting an early start on the holidays with it being Christmas Eve and all, but Cora's request of going over the budget reports that left no room to be denied gave Regina the perfect opportunity to snoop into her mother's finances.

Kathryn had made Regina wonder and hope that Emma hadn't taken the money and it was nothing more than a huge misunderstanding. Why would Emma do that and continue to work twice as hard as she already did? It made Regina curious, her mind automatically wandering to the worst case scenario of being phased out and betrayed, but there was a tiny part of her hidden deep inside her heart that prayed she was wrong.

When Cora excused herself from the study, Regina quickly and carefully rifled through her personal statements, looking for any suspicious transfers or deposits but found nothing out of the ordinary. What were the odds her mother gave cash? That was fairly untraceable. Still, it had to show up somewhere. The clacking of her mother's heels on the hardwood made Regina pause. She lifted the pile of papers to shuffle them into order when a small rectangular strip slipped free. She picked it up quickly, her lips parting to see it was indeed a copy from her mother's check book with Emma Swan penned neatly into the recipient line.

Her stomach dropped and dread filled her as she stared at the four faded letters comprising Emma's name. She didn't want to believe it but there it was clasped between her fingers. God, how could she be such a fool? She didn't even want to glance at the number, but when she did she shook her head, her lips still parted and feeling so small. The copy of the check was still in her hands just as Cora stepped back in, whatever words that were on her lips died as soon as she saw Regina's hard glare.

Regina didn't have time to mask the reality of the shock of her discovery as she looked up at her mother. Her fists involuntarily clenched into a tight ball, the paper between her fingers crumpling beneath its force.

"Oh sweetie," Cora began sympathetically after a quick sweep of her daughter's eyes to the copy in her grasp.

"No." Regina leaped up from the couch and waved the check around angrily. "What the hell are you playing at?"

"Now, now, Regina."

"For god's sake, Mother!" Regina yelled exasperated as she turned away briefly, unable to meet Cora's eyes. With a harsh whip of the air, she turned, crushing the copy in her hand with her gaze set on Cora. "Did she ask this of you? Did she need help with something?"

Regina couldn't help the small hitch in her voice as she spoke, her will clinging to the last remaining shred of hope that there was more to this story, that she was wrong somehow. Cora tilted her head to the side, evaluating her daughter with narrowed eyes. Regina waited impatiently, but her anger didn't allow her to see the minuscule tilt of Cora's lips before it went to the usual stoic and cold expression.

"I told you what kind of girl she was, didn't I?" Cora insisted. She stepped forward when Regina ran a hand through her hair in disbelief. Disbelief at her mother's audacity and disbelief at Emma's betrayal. But how could she still be in denial when the proof was right there in front of her?. "Regina, she isn't what's best for you."

"What do you know about what's best for me?" Regina asked flatly.

Cora leveled a glare at her daughter before tilting her chin up and steepling her fingers underneath her chin. "Well, you'll be happy to note that I've pulled some strings and Mr. Gold has graciously decided to meet with you in the new year. Just make sure you attend that one and _nothing_ prevents you from it."

"I didn't need your help for that. I would have been able to do it myself."

"Really?" Cora asked mockingly. "Before or after you tended to your broken heart? Regina, how many times have I told you that if you want to get ahead in your career then little affairs like this will only get in your way." Cora continued as Regina paced the length of the study unable to get her thoughts organized. "She's shown her true colours, can't you see that? I know you're hurt, and if you want me to be the villain then so be it, but I am just looking out for you, dear."

Regina slowed her pacing and came to a stop in front of the fireplace looking up at the family portrait above it. She shut her eyes briefly before turning her head to face Cora, her eyes dark and distant. "That is the last time you will interfere in my life," she spoke clearly.

Cora didn't even have time to scoff before Regina dropped the crumpled ball of paper to the ground and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

It had been snowing mercilessly since the evening before, more than Emma had ever seen in her adult life. She remembered trudging through the snow growing up in nothing more than second hand boots with the soles held together with glue, layers upon layers of sweatpants, and a ratty hoodie under her fall jacket, so the sudden blizzard-like weather had the blonde surprised. Quite frankly she was expecting a rainy Christmas as it had been for the past three years, but all that meant was the big gift she had gotten Henry this year would be put to good use when spring hit and the sidewalks would be free of snow.

It had been a quiet Christmas Day so far. Henry, like every other year, had woken up at six am, knocking furiously on Emma's door until she opened it with a bleary eyed smile and a kiss to the top of his head. Before she had even managed a Christmas greeting, Henry had run to the tree and began rummaging through his gifts, some signed from Santa, others from family friends.

As he opened his gifts, wrappings and tissue paper strewn about the floor, Emma had borrowed his digital camera, ignoring the fact that it was Regina who had purchased it for him, and began snapping pictures, having Henry hold up each gift as the boy gave a toothy wide grin. Despite the air being clear between herself and her son, Emma couldn't stop the feeling that there was something missing, another body that this small room was meant to have. With every click of the camera, Emma slowly began to realize, and almost hated herself for doing so, that she had missed the idea of Regina spending Christmas with them, of them opening up gifts together and sharing in small traditions. It tore her apart and gave her a headache. It was hard to miss Regina when she was still so mad, but apparently her heart didn't give a damn.

Nearly four days of silence was enough to make Emma hesitant about calling the brunette herself, and to be perfectly honest, she didn't know what the hell to say. Apologize and explain to her the truth, Ruby and Granny had all but pestered her into eventually doing, but talking to her, letting Regina in on Emma's feelings, that was something the blonde didn't even know how to begin to navigate. So instead she snapped pictures, her mind's eye betraying her heart as she wondered just how different today could have been.

She shook her head as she turned from the window clutching a mug of hot chocolate between her hands as she watched Henry attempt to split his attention from _The Polar Express_ currently on the TV to the latest Iron Man trade August had gotten for him. Still in his plaid pyjama bottoms, he sat cross-legged on the couch with the various books and games he had received from his honorary aunts and uncles - the Spider-Man zip up he had put on immediately after opening it from Ruby and the Artemis Fowl series from Frederick (and Kathryn ostensibly) to name a few. Emma had presented him with several super hero shirts, but she had yet to reveal his big gift. She had purposely waited for it to be the last he opened, hoping that giving it to him would make him realize that she was trying her best with him.

Crossing the small distance to the breakfast table, Emma set her cocoa down and tapped Henry on the head. He turned and raised his eyebrows silently saying _what?_

"Close your eyes," she said with a pleased smirk. "Come on, it'll be cool."

Obligingly, Henry shut his eyes then covered them with his hands to prevent himself from peeking. Making sure he wasn't looking, Emma creeped into her bedroom and pulled out the bike she had managed to hide in her closet. As soon as it was in between the kitchen and the living room, she put the kickstand down, marvelling at the rocket red six gear bike and helmet. She moved to the couch and kneeled beside Henry where he was still crouched over the back of the couch with his hands over his eyes. "Okay, open them."

Henry removed his hand and peeked his eyes open. Within seconds they widened and he stood up on the couch. "No way!"

Emma grinned mentally patting herself on the back. She was so pleased with herself she didn't even bother to scold Henry for hopping over the back rather than moving around the couch in order to sit on his new bike.

"This is awesome!" He pulled the helmet on with a click and began peddling slowly around the apartment, careful not to bump into anything.

"You can ride it inside today, but come tomorrow that's only for outside. We gotta get you a lock too."

Henry didn't bother to respond, too busy either slowly peddling or using his feet to weave around objects. It wasn't until there was a knock on the door did he stop and remember to hop off and wrap his arms around Emma's waist as she made her way to the door. "Thanks, Mom."

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and smiled into his hair. "Anything for you, kid."

He released her and hopped back onto his bike as Emma turned to answer the door.

"Hey," she greeted Ashley and one year old Alex. "Merry Christmas."

Ashley smiled brightly holding onto Alex's hand with one hand while balancing a gift on top of a covered platter of cookies with the other. "Merry Christmas, Emma."

The older blonde let Ashley and Alex in, taking the present and cookies off of the younger girl.

"Hey Ash!" Henry called from the middle of the living room still on his bike. Alexandra waddled over to Henry, holding her hands up to be lifted. Henry picked her up and sat her in his lap, letting her hold the handles as he pretended to ride.

"Big year," Ashley commented at the bike.

"Tell me about it," Emma laughed and looked at the gift. "You didn't have to, you know."

"Oh, I found that in front of your door."

"In front of my door?" Emma repeated, snagging a cookie from its platter before examining the bag to see who it was from. Her breath hitched when she examined the writing on the sender sticker, seeing it was unmistakably Regina's handwriting addressing the gift to Henry. "Did you see who dropped it off?"

Ashley shook her head. "I went downstairs to do laundry about an hour ago and nothing was there when I passed by. I just saw it on my way down here."

The idea that Regina had driven in this weather to drop off a gift was unnerving for Emma. Or maybe she had gotten someone else to do it. Or maybe she was over thinking this too much. Regardless, there was only one gift clearly marked to her son, and the idea of calling the older woman to talk things out became a distant idea.

"Henry," Emma called holding up the gift.

"Another?" He asked excitedly, helping Alex to the ground before racing over to the newest gift. He eyed the intricately wrapped golden paper, beaming at the sender. "Regina's here?"

Emma shook her head awkwardly. "Just dropped it off."

Henry frowned but proceeded to tear into the wrapping paper to uncover a leather bound book titled Grimm Fairy Tales. "Woah," Henry said in awe, elongating the word for emphasis. He flipped through the book, the old-book smell wafting lightly in the air.

Ashley picked up Alexandra and placed her on her hip. "You guys enjoy your Christmas."

Emma nodded, walking her neighbour to the door before remembering to give her their gift. By the time the door was shut, Henry was seated on his bike again, using it as a chair as he rifled through the book. He looked up at Emma in contemplation, his lips parting slightly as he began to speak before thinking better of it.

"What, kid?"

He looked down to the book then back at his mother. "Didn't she want to come in?" His voice was low, and despite having matured well for his age, it still held the innocence of a child.

Emma ran her hand through her hair before stuffing her hands in her jean pockets. "She probably had a lot of things to do."

"Can I call her?"

She plopped down on the couch, pulling her leg underneath her other one as she worried her lip.

"Please?"

Emma shut her eyes while lifting her hips to pull out her phone from her back pocket and hesitantly dialed Regina.

* * *

"Do lighten up, Regina. It's Christmas." Cora sat at the opposite end of the dining room table, a feast laid out before them with Regina sitting at the other end.

Regina rolled her eyes, absent-mindedly picking at the food Mother's chefs had slaved away for in the kitchen. She had given Mother the silent treatment since the night before. Quite frankly if it wasn't due to wanting to spend Christmas in the house with the fondest memories of Daddy, whom she desperately wanted to see right now, Regina would have just gone back to her empty apartment. It lacked the festive spirit that Mother's decorator had spent painstaking hours to show within these walls, but at least she knew there was a full decanter of cider (along with a few bottles of the best wines and perhaps a bottle of scotch if memory served her correctly) that Regina could indulge in to her liking.

She had almost gone back home, but after she had dropped off Henry's gift in front of their doorstep after trekking it out in the heavy snow, the soft sounds of some child's musical movie played with low chatter and laughter. Her eyes burned, whether it was out of anger or regret she was unsure, but Regina held her head high, tucking the box that contained Emma's gift under her arm and made her way back down the stairs. She realized in the car that she didn't want to be alone, but sitting across the table with her mother made her reevaluate that plan.

Cora stopped her eating, her knife and fork poised elegantly over her meal as she sighed frustrated as if dealing with an unruly child. "Honestly, dear, if you're going to be acting like this all night then-"

Regina openly scoffed. "What are you going to do, Mother? Pay somebody to be a better daughter? There isn't enough money in the world."

"Regina!" Cora slammed her cutlery down.

The younger brunette tilted her head with derision, no longer fearing what her mother could do. For the first time in her entire life, she stood from the table without being excused, bringing her glass of wine with her as she walked into their large parlour room where the twelve-foot pine tree stood, decorated perfectly to match the decor of the house. Pleased to find the fireplace burning brightly with stockings hung over the mantle with their names cursively stitched into the fabric simply for decorative purposes rather than trinket-giving, she sat back against the leather sofa, crossing her leg over the other and pulling down on her beige-knitted sweater dress to come over her legging-clad thigh.

She figured she had three minutes before Mother came storming in, yelling curses and wreaking havoc. She had three minutes where she could stew in her own thoughts and allow her heart to hurt for just a little bit before locking up the feeling again for another day. God, she thought sipping her wine. Do all relationships feel like this when they end? Perhaps not. Not every relationship ended with a five thousand dollar price tag on somebody's head. She shut her eyes as she swirled the wine within her glass, unable to stop the flooding of questions filling her mind. _Maybe it's me_, she thought. _There must be something wrong with me._

"Regina." Cora slammed the door to the parlour open forcing the younger brunette to snap open her eyes.

She mentally rolled them as she looked up at her mother. It looked like Cora granted her the mercy of only one minute.

Cora took Regina's jaw within her grasp, red-painted nails digging into her olive-toned flesh. "Can't you see that you are acting like some petulant child over what? Some call girl?"

Regina ripped her face away, her eyes narrowing in defiance. "Don't think this is all about Emma."

"Your heart is weak, dear. I did what I-"

"What you had to do was be supportive for once in your life!" Regina stood up, towering over Cora by a few inches. Her wine glass had tumbled to the floor on her rise up, the juices seeping into the hardwood. "Yes, Mother. You've taught me yet another lesson on who to trust. Thank you for being so inconsiderate on how it would affect me."

Cora's lips parted and her eyes widened, unused to her daughter speaking back so bluntly and so emotionally. Before she could say another word, Regina's phone rang, and with a glance into her pocket, she pulled it up and held it to her ear without looking as she stepped out into the hall and began to make her way up to her old room.

"Regina Mills speaking."

"Regina!"

* * *

"It's Henry!"

Emma sat on the couch watching as her son paced back and forth as he spoke with Regina. She briefly wondered if the brunette would even pick up her call, or if she would yell into it without realizing it would be Henry on the receiving end, but the sound of Henry's excitement and the beam of his wide grin made Emma relieved for the time being. Her head moved on a plane as it swivelled watching Henry walk from one end of the living room to the other.

"I just wanted to say Merry Christmas," he said absently kicking at a loose wrapping paper on the ground. He smiled, presumably receiving a similar response. "Yeah, I got your gift. Thanks for it."

Emma watched him turn around, the other side of the living room his destination.

"I've only seen Disney and I heard the Grimm brothers were cooler," he told her. "I got you something too."

Emma's ears perked up at that, and she glanced under the tree, but all she saw were loose needles and tissue paper and bows.

"It's no big deal," he shrugged with a blush, turning back around. "Maybe my mom can drop it off next time she sees you."

Emma leaned her head on her hand as it rested along the back of the couch, watching Henry's face as it shifted every so slightly to reluctant understanding. Whatever Regina had told him clearly wasn't the entire truth since Henry wasn't shooting daggers or pleadings with either of them.

"I got some really cool stuff. My mom got me a bike." He listened to Regina's reply before chuckling with an added sigh. "Yes, I have a helmet. I'll be careful. What did you get?"

He did another rotation, stopping his tracks in front of Emma on the couch where he smiled and nodded. "You can come over if you're bored."

Emma's eyes widened and she sat abruptly. Judging from Henry's furrowed brow Regina was giving him a similar reaction if less obvious.

"Okay," he said dejectedly. "No, it's okay. My mom wants to talk to you."

Before Emma could say no, Henry had thrust the phone at her and walked back to his bike, going over every inch of his new prized possession carefully. She squeezed her eyes tight, holding the phone against the belly of her shirt before standing and exiting the apartment quietly. She wasn't ready for this conversation. Not by a long shot. So there was no way in hell she was having it in front of Henry.

The halls were empty, so she sat on the top of the stairs that opened to their apartment door. She glanced down at her phone, seeing the time elapse and realizing that Regina had waited for some unknown reason. With trepidation, Emma put the receiver to her ear. "Hi?"

"Ms. Swan," Regina said flatly.

Emma visibly cringed at the title and swallowed hard. Neither of them spoke for another thirty seconds. Taking another gulp, Emma began to speak. "Regina, look about the check-"

"My mother explained it to me. No need to waste your breath."

"She did- what did she say?"

"What else does she have to say?" Regina snapped. "Apparently your dignity costs five thousand dollars."

"Woah, Jesus, that's- that's not what that is," Emma said attempting to keep a cool head, but Regina's jabs and derisive tone was poking at Emma's frustration.

"Oh I'm sorry, is that just the price of what I'm worth?"

"No! You're obviously worth more than that." Apologize, Emma, her brain told her. _Explain._

Regina scoffed amused. "What price is that then? Aim high, Emma, I'm sure my mother would gladly accommodate."

Emma finally realized the extent of her words, shaking her head furiously as if to push what she had said out of her mind and away from her mouth, but the damage was already done.

"I understand, Ms. Swan," Regina interrupted Emma's train of thought, her tone professional and indifferent. "There are more important things in life than sordid affairs."

"Is that what this was to you?" Emma asked appalled and bitter.

Regina laughed out loud, a cold and distant laughter before ending the call. Emma stared at her black screen unable to process what had just transpired. That was it. They meant nothing. Emma was probably just one big fuck you to Cora. Nothing more than a 'sordid affair.'

She dropped her head into her hands, her chest clenching with a pain so unfamiliar she was sure she was having a stroke or heart attack or something. But as she lifted her head, sniffling and wiping her face on the sleeve of her shirt, Emma stood up and turned to head back into the apartment unaware that across town Regina was curled into her old four-poster canopy bed thinking she was nothing more to Emma than a taste of the good life.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer in Chapter One.**

**AN: I'm sorry if I wasn't able to get back to everyone's reviews! Somehow the emails weren't getting to my inbox, but I just want to let you guys know that I totally appreciate it. I just want to give a shoutout and a HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY to my friend and creator of this prompt** yoomsspeakeasy. **Go and greet Yoom on Tumblr tomorrow!** **Stay classy ;). Also, who else was totally satisfied with Sassgina and badass Emma from the premiere?**

* * *

They hadn't spoken in over a week. Numerous times Emma had picked up the phone or had hovered over Regina's name in her contact list, but what was the point? She had made it very clear that they were never serious, nothing more than a tryst, so why should Emma look like a fool chasing a loss cause? Maybe it was because of that unsettling feeling deep in her stomach that told her this, them not being together, wasn't right. Or maybe her heart had ached too much from being abandoned, from being not good enough. Whatever it was Emma hated to dwell on it, but there were little places she could hide that didn't remind her of a certain brunette.

Henry had pestered her to call Regina again in the following days after Christmas, and it broke Emma to sit him down and explain as best as she could that they weren't together, that he had to stop asking about her and that was that. Her eyes were wide and imploring, begging him to understand before he begrudgingly muttered a 'fine' and hid himself away in his room.

She had gone back to work on Boxing Day, back to the bar, and back on the counter. It wasn't the first time she had to work during the holidays, hell she had had to work on Christmas Day a few years prior, but it was the first time she saw Henry shake his head, disappointment etched into his eyes before nodding and bidding her goodbye from his spot on the couch. Emma had asked Ashley to come down to their place that day, hoping some familiarity would help alleviate his mood, but it wasn't until she ended the call did she realize that Henry probably spent just as much time at Ashley's if not more than their own place. Familiarity was shot out the window.

She broke six glasses that night and dropped four bottles of beer.

August had approached her by the end of her shift, asking if she was okay, but all Emma offered was a half-hearted smile and a nod before cleaning up her latest mess and driving home as fast as she could to spend time with her kid.

It was the fourth day of his holidays where Henry had insisted he didn't need a babysitter that Emma had decided to find August in his office during her break and slump haphazardly across his beaten down couch and cover her eyes with her forearm.

"Bad day?" He asked cautiously.

"Henry hates me," she mumbled to herself.

"No he doesn't."

She removed her arm from her face and tilted her head to face him. "Am I a bad mom?"

"No," he said firmly, moving from his desk to pull up a chair beside her. "What's all this about?"

Emma stared up at the ceiling then shook her head profusely while trying to sit up. "Nothing."

August pushed her back down on the couch and gave her a look that told her she wasn't going anywhere. "Come on, do you want me to send you home early?"

"Maybe," she said to the ceiling.

"Maybe?" He repeated with a curious gaze.

"Henry's growing up," she mused to herself.

"That's generally what kids do."

Emma levelled a glare at him before taking a deep breath. "Did you know I was almost late to his Christmas pageant?" When August remained quiet she continued. "Regina ended up taking him and saving me a spot. I made it just before his class went on stage."

"You're not a bad mom, Em," August comforted. "Henry knows-"

"I always promised myself I'd never let my kid grow up the way I did," she interrupted. "When he was born, I swore I'd take care of him and make sure he was never alone."

"You're doing that."

She sat up then, running a hand through her hair. "He grew up just as fast as I did. Yeah, he's kept his nose clean, and I'm grateful for that, and it could have been so much worse, but-"

She cut herself off and placed both hands on her head, staring up at the ceiling as the rock music from the bar drifted up through the vents. "I feel like I miss him."

August smiled softly and patted her head in a brotherly manner. "You do."

She moved her head away from his hand and let it drop to her chest as she examined her hands in her lap. She fidgeted for a long moment before shaking her head with a sigh. "I gotta get back to work."

Without waiting she stood and walked to the door, her hand on the knob.

"Emma," he called after her. "You're fired."

"_What?_" She shrieked and turned fully with her hands on her hips and her eyes wide, confused and angry. "You're _firing_ me."

August grinned before shrugging nonchalantly as if he hadn't just dropped a bombshell on her. He turned back to his desk, rifling through papers.

"August!" Emma stormed over to his desk. "What the hell?"

He didn't answer and started pulling drawers open, his face lighting up when he found a small contact card and extending it out to Emma. "I have a friend. He's got this pretty nice restaurant and bar uptown."

Emma didn't take the card and continued to glare at her boss. Former boss, apparently. "You want me to leave my manager position here to go somewhere else and work my way up at this place?"

"He's looking for a manager," he explained. "You'd work during the day, manage other people, and still work the bar. People tip nice up there too."

Emma eyed the card warily.

"Em," he said imploringly. "It's a step up from this place, and it looks better too. You'd actually be home for dinner and you can tuck Henry in at night."

She shifted from foot to foot until August held the card out further. "You don't always have to do things the hard way," he insisted. "Call him."

* * *

Emma gave him a call a day later, had an interview the day after and was hired on the spot. August had apparently gushed about her and her work ethic, and after Emma had passed a mini test of spewing off ingredients from any drink he named, the owner was deeply impressed. The look of relief on his face when she said she could work immediately mirrored the look on her own face when she realized she got the job. She walked out of there with a giant grin on her face and the sudden need to punch the air in victory.

When Henry heard the news, Emma knew she had made the right decision. She had caught him staring up at the Christmas tree star that night with a pleased smile, muttering a thanks to Santa.

It was now New Year's Eve, and Emma had opted on throwing a party at their place, hoping that this new change of scene would continue into the new year. Their friends were invited, Henry was loaded up on sugar to stay up late, and midnight was less than an hour away.

"Danny tells me you're fitting right in," August said, sidling up beside Emma as she mixed another kid-friendly punch.

"It's different," Emma said with a shrug. "I wear a lot more, and the staff is nice."

"You have to look professional and all," August teased, earning a playful glare from Emma before turning serious. "If you really don't like it, there's always room for you back at the bar."

Emma smiled softly before turning to watch as Henry and Alex danced around the living room as the latest performer at Times Square did their number. She still wasn't over Henry's face every time she walked him into his room and helped him into bed, grabbing his fairy tale book to read for the night. It was as if both of them were waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it wouldn't come. This is it, Emma realized, and she wouldn't change that for anything.

She shook her head to August and actually smiled. "I'm good. My boss is so much better anyway."

"Ouch," August smirked pressing a hand to his heart.

The rest of the night went by quickly with laughter ringing throughout the apartment. But by the time the ball descended and midnight rolled around, Emma's good mood slowly dwindled as she looked around the room to see Ruby getting a kiss from her date, Billy, a mechanic who worked with Michael and was always sweet on her, August who had given Ashley a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and various other friends coupling up, while Henry had tickled Alexandra into a fit before pecking her forehead.

She lingered awkwardly for only a moment before Henry looked up catching her eye and ran over to wrap his arms around her middle. "Happy New Years, Mom."

She smiled softly into his embrace then leaned down to brush her lips against the top of his hair. "Happy New Years, Henry."

He pulled back and looked up at her, his smile soft but his eyes conveying understanding. He tugged her down to his level and wrapped his arms around her neck before whispering in her ear. "You should call her."

Without giving her a chance to respond, Henry ran back to Alexandra and led her to the punch, hoping to milk staying up late as much as possible.

Emma remained in her crouched position staring off after him, lingering on the final thought he left in her mind. It was Ruby who tugged her up a little too roughly, no doubt the effect of how much alcohol she had consumed taking its toll on her, pulling Emma into a tight hug. "Happy New Year, Ems!"

"Yeah," the blonde responded with a tight smile. "Happy New Year."

* * *

Fireworks went off in the sky, the once sleek blackness rippled with bright reds, blues, and whites as the crack of the fireworks rivalled that of the parties going on in and around New York. Somewhere below her condo Regina could hear the party room cheer as midnight hit. Noise makers rattled and laughter rose through all the floors. Of course, there were many parties Regina had been invited to, but after a less than pleasant Christmas, she simply wanted to ring in the New Year by herself.

Her mother was furious when Regina flat out refused to attend Cora's annual New Year's Eve masquerade at one of their larger hotels as Killian's date. Regina was still getting angry voicemails from the woman, and even Killian had attempted to persuade her. It took a levelled glare and a well-placed slap for him to back off.

She flitted about aimlessly in her apartment, descending from the stairs where she had changed out of her dress and nylons and opted for leggings and an oversized knitted sweater. She may not have been in the most celebratory of moods, but she always made it a point to dress impeccably. The wine in her glass swirled precariously close to spilling, but Regina drank it before it even had a chance to tip.

The lights of the city reflected off her floor-to-ceiling windows as she stood before it, an arm wrapped around her midsection while the other held her wine glass firmly.

Cheers to a new year, she thought bitterly, draining her wine in one go before turning to deposit her glass onto a side table. She sat on her couch where her portfolio was scattered along the coffee table. The photographs were more greyscales than coloured, and even the coloured pictures were strategically blurred or silhouetted against the light. Her recent work had involved more models than landscape, and for the first time Regina worried that her skill wasn't up to par. Her meeting with Gold was in three days, and she couldn't even decide which photos she wanted to show. After missing their first meeting, Regina felt her initial portfolio wouldn't cut it, but now none of these photos looked presentable.

She dropped the pile in her hand onto the table with disgust, but a coloured picture stood out in the midst of black and white. Picking it up, she recognized it immediately and frowned. It was of Henry and Emma that day at the centre where she had come down for the fundraiser. Neither of them were looking at the camera. In fact they didn't even know she had taken the picture. Mother and son were walking toward the middle of the court, their heads turned toward each other, smiles adorning their faces. She smiled softly, examining every little tiny expression on their faces. It had seemed so long ago when she had taken this. God, was it only a few months ago she had met the Swan family? How had she let them into her life so easily?

Her fingers tightened around the picture but as soon as creases formed on the page, she released her grip and smoothed the corner down, setting it gently on the far side of the coffee table away from everything else. Rifling through the photographs, she decided she couldn't use any of them. Every so often she would see either Henry or Emma in the background, and before long, she gave up on the task of organizing her portfolio. The laughter and singing of her intoxicated neighbours continued to ring up to her floor, and every so often she would hear a drunken cry of 'Happy New Year!' which made her cringe and tense. There was nothing happy about it, and it was only day one.

* * *

"All right, so we've got the open gym on Saturdays, you sure you don't want to do soccer or basketball or something?" Emma asked as she and Henry sat at one of the tables in the youth centre going through the yearly registrations. Henry was due back at school the following day, and program registrations were already opened up for spring activities. Emma wanted to make sure Henry got a spot in any of the ones he wanted, so she drove them down to the centre, signing him up early for the activities.

"I can?" He asked looking over the list.

"Yeah, kid. Even ones that are on weekdays. Things are different now, remember?" She gave him a nudge with her elbow while he gave her a shy grin.

"What about this one?" He pointed to a program. "It's every Wednesday."

"Writing?" Emma asked reading the description. "_Your child will write and share stories, helping them gain a sense of structure in their writing and get their creativity flowing. By the end of the program they will put together their very own book to take home to share with your friends and family_. Your own book, huh? We can read your stories for bedtime."

Henry blushed but couldn't hide his pleased smile as he waited while Emma filled out the form. When she was done, they stood and headed to the reception desk to hand in their registration. By the time it was their turn, the usual lady was replaced with none other than Kathryn.

"Hey," Emma said awkwardly as they walked up to the desk.

"Hi," the blonde said curtly, her face showing no emotion toward Emma but brightening up to greet Henry. "How have you been, Henry?"

"Good," Henry smiled. "Thank you for the books."

Kathryn laughed lightly. "It's no problem. I know Frederick was having trouble picking something out." She accepted the form from Emma without a second glance and began inputting their information onto the computer.

"You work here?" Emma asked making small talk.

"Volunteering," she answered flatly without taking her eyes off the screen.

"Mom, Nick and Ava are here, can I go say hi?" Henry asked tugging Emma's sleeve. Quite frankly she didn't want to be left alone with Regina's best friend, but she knew if she kept Henry there as a barrier it would be obvious that she was hiding behind her kid. Reluctantly she nodded, and soon it was just her and Kathryn in the lobby. Great, it was like the whole universe was against her.

"So," Emma said elongating the word. "Volunteering, that's really good of you."

"I don't do it to look good," Kathryn answered sharply, flashing Emma a knowing glare.

Emma floundered, unused to this snappy Kathryn. She thought the blonde was always really sweet. She flushed and leaned in closer to whisper. "Here's the thing, we're probably gonna run into each other here a lot, so can we not let whatever happened between me and Regina get in the way of that?"

Kathryn raised an eyebrow, probably having learned it from the brunette herself. "You broke her heart, Emma."

Emma pulled back not expecting such blunt honesty. She had always wondered how Regina was the past couple of weeks, but _heartbroken_? She swallowed thickly, unable to respond.

"It wasn't about the meeting," Kathryn continued. "All her life people haven't seen past her family name, and then she met you, and she thought that changed."

"I didn't even know who she was when I met her," Emma defended.

"Did that stop you from taking Cora's money?"

"I _didn't_," Emma said through grounded teeth. Her insistence was so clear, Kathryn narrowed her eyes in confusion before widening them in understanding.

"Regina doesn't-"

"I know."

"Then why are you letting her believe that?"

"Did you ever think that she wasn't the only one that got hurt?" She answered abruptly, but immediately began fidgeting and running a hand through her curls before sighing exasperated. "Are you gonna charge me for the program?"

Kathryn rolled her eyes and rang her up, all the while Emma was taking her sweet time using the debit machine while the older blonde waited impatiently for an answer to her previous question. Receipt in hand, Emma was turning to go, but Kathryn reached over the desk and held her steady. "Are you honestly over her?"

All it took was Emma's silence to give Kathryn her answer.

"I shouldn't be helping you, but whatever you need to say, you have to say it to Regina," Kathryn said with a reluctant sigh. "But she really liked you. Likes, actually."

"She's mad at me," Emma countered, disbelieving the older blonde's statement.

"And she has every right to be," Kathryn defended haughtily. "She doesn't forgive easily, but I know she doesn't love easily too."

Emma's attention snapped to the older blonde across the counter at her implication, her eyes wide swirling with a mixture of fear and hope. "What?"

"She's at Sisco's," Kathryn continued. "She has a gallery to display some new stills for Gold."

"I shouldn't-"

"You should," Kathryn insisted. "Frederick and I will take Henry with us for the day if you'd like."

"Where are you going?" Henry piped up from behind Emma.

She turned, facing Henry who looked up curiously at his mother. It took a moment for Emma to fully absorb the information Kathryn had just thrown at her, but for the first time and after weeks of contemplating her relationship with Regina, Emma knew it was time for her to step up and reach out. She crouched down to her son, rubbing her hands up and down the sleeves of his jacket. With a scared smile, Emma whispered, "I'm gonna go talk to her."

Henry beamed automatically, wrapping his arms around her neck. "Good luck."

* * *

Regina held her head up high as she walked from person to person, thanking them for their presence or answering any of their questions. She had still yet to meet the elusive Mr. Gold who agreed to attend her gallery in lieu of a meeting. It was an innovative way of displaying her portfolio to him, and to impress him further with her recently found niche, she had done an impromptu shoot, traveling to Coney Island with only three models to pose as the family in the photographs. The pleasant murmurings among her guests gave her hope that she had chosen well, but the fact of the matter was that Gold had yet to make his presence known and the thought unnerved Regina.

So she continued to walk purposefully through the crowd, a shawl wrapped around her shoulders over her dress to protect her from the chill of the air every time the door opened and a wine glass in her hand. She examined her pictures for the thousandth time, wondering if perhaps the picture was too dark or if she should have used a different lens. Stopping at one, she tilted her head and thought pensively of the photo. It was simply of the family's hands on the banister of the boardwalk railing, the father's hand covered protectively over the son's, with the son's pinky of his free hand just touching the mother's. She sipped her wine and thought best not to dwell too much, but when she moved on to a picture of the family walking through the crowd, the boy on the father's shoulder with a smile just reaching his eyes as he stared down at his parents, and the father looking down to his hand where his fingers grazed his wife's, Regina felt a sense of longing for something she wasn't sure what.

"Trouble in paradise?"

Regina turned suddenly at that sound to find an aged man just over her mother's age dressed in a fine tailored suit and leaning on a walking cane. Regina gave a practised smile. "I'm sorry?"

"Your display. I assume that's what you've named it," he explained.

"This particular shoot has yet to be named," Regina said. "I like to think my work can speak for itself."

His lips twitched upward in amusement which made Regina want to grind her teeth. She refrained from rolling her eyes, and instead moved to the side when he stepped past her and pointed out the picture she had just been examining.

"They don't look at each other, this couple," he said motioning to the man and woman. "They barely touch. Even the boy knows something is wrong."

Regina narrowed her eyes in thought as she took in the scene.

"Interesting location as well," the man said with a grin that claimed he knew much. "However did you pick it?"

"Coney Island is quite historic in its own right," Regina explained as soon as her eyes were away from the photo. "It was easy to choose a location where a family can spend some quality time together."

"Judging by your photographs I wonder how long the happy family will continue to be so," he said. Before Regina could respond he leaned over on his cane and extended his hand. "Forgive me. I'm Mr. Gold."

Regina's eyes widened at his admission, and she did her best to compose herself and push away the thoughts that this man was annoyingly infuriating. She smiled widely and extended her hand. "Mr. Gold, I'm Regina Mills."

"Yes, well your mother has spoken very highly of you," he replied shaking her hand briefly.

"Good things, I hope."

He gave a smile which bordered on a smirk but turned back to her work. "You've certainly put a lot of yourself into this particular collection. It's quite the improvement."

"There's always room for growth."

"It appears so," he waved a hand motioning towards the photographs. "Which do you think is your best?"

It was a loaded question, Regina knew that much. Even within mere minutes of meeting Mr. Gold, Regina knew that he was a man who was not easily pleased and could trap a person with his words alone. With a cool expression, she inclined her head and beckoned him to follow. Decisive, she thought of herself. Don't appear hesitant. She walked briskly to a picture hung up in the center of the room that showed only the mother and father positioned in the distance of the top left corner of the frame walking along the whitened beach made so by the fading snow with their fingers just barely intertwined.

"Why that one?" Gold asked, leaning heavily on his cane.

Regina took a moment to study the picture. The couple had their backs to the camera with the man staring straight ahead and the woman looking outward to the sea as their footprints trailed behind them. Handing her wine glass to a passing waiter, she cleared her throat and began to speak. "This particular photograph doesn't have them as their focus. It's their footprints that take up the main focus of the shot, and you can see that as they walk further ahead, soon the waves will wash them away."

"Tragic," he said with little emotion. "Your collection tells a tale despite their smiles."

Regina have the photograph another once over before nodding slowly. "I suppose it does."

"What was your inspiration?"

She froze at the voice, but she knew without turning around who would be there standing behind her.

_Emma._

* * *

Emma sat inside her bug parked across the street from Sisco's. It wasn't lost on the blonde that this scene was reminiscent of the first time Emma had actively sought out Regina and had taken her on an impromptu date of sorts. Now here she was, months later to surprise the brunette again.

Her hands were clammy, and it wasn't due to the faulty heater in her car making the interior nearly as cold as the outside world. She rubbed her palms on her jeans to generate some heat, and some courage if she was lucky. A part of her wished she had changed her clothing, but she shook her head. That was the problem last time. She was uncomfortable last time. This time, she needed to believe that she wasn't completely obtuse, though her actions these previous weeks would say otherwise.

With a final resolve, she stepped out of her bug and slammed the door shut. The bobbles of her knitted hat swung against her collar as she walked determinedly toward the entrance of the gallery. She ignored the looks of those who stared at her as if she had just stumbled onto their event by accident. She shook her head lightly to get rid of the small amount of snow that had accumulated on top of her hat as she took in the room, navigating it with her eyes as she searched for Regina.

The brunette was nowhere in sight, and lingering by the doorway made Emma more nervous than she already was. She briefly thought that maybe she should just wait for Regina to be free and maybe send her an email or a text or something, but she knew that if she didn't do something now, she never would. So she pulled off her hat and ran her fingers through her hair to ease the tangles out of her curls and walked slowly, taking in the displays.

She narrowed her eyes when she saw a familiar Ferris wheel and roller coaster in the background of one of the pictures. _Coney Island_. Emma smirked, suddenly feeling better about her arrival. As she walked from photo to photo, Emma could see just a little bit of Regina within every one. They were taken with minimal light giving the pictures a natural dark tint, but it was the far off and distant looks in their eyes that caught Emma's attention. It would be easy to think Regina's collection was a bunch of photographs of a family outing, but Emma didn't need to be a critic to know the modelled family was putting on a front and there were secrets behind their smiles. The dissection of Regina's pictures made Emma think about how the brunette subconsciously displayed such a statement in her work.

Her thoughts were pulled away when she heard the familiar melodic tone of the one and only Regina Mills, and Emma turned her head in time to see her leading an aged man to one of her photographs. Shoving her hat into her jacket pocket, Emma set her jaw and strode forward just in time to catch Regina explaining the photograph. "This particular photograph doesn't have them as their focus. It's their footprints that take up the main focus of the shot, and you can see that as they walk further ahead, soon the waves will wash them away."

"Tragic," the man said. "Your collection tells a tale despite their smiles."

Knew it, Emma mentally congratulated herself for picking up on the meaning. Her stance shifted as she waited for a lull in conversation to make her presence known. She watched as Regina inclined her head in resignation, as if hating to realize that the man was right. "I suppose it does."

"What was your inspiration?" Emma heard herself blurting out. She held her breath as Regina's shoulders visibly tensed and her head turned every so slightly. Emma knew Regina had seen her as soon as she turned back and offered the man an apologetic smile before turning to fully face her. The hardened chocolate eyes that bore down on her were almost enough to send Emma cowering away, but Regina's eyes caught the light and Emma could see them glisten for just a moment before Regina blinked and the vulnerability was gone.

"I'm sorry, I'm in the middle of something at the moment," Regina dismissed before turning back to the man in the suit.

"Now I'd like to hear the answer to that one," he said holding a finger in the air for emphasis.

Regina dipped her head, avoiding Emma as she watched her every move. She looked back up but her gaze was distant and not directed at any particular person. "I lost someone in my life," Regina began. "Someone I cared about, and it turns out the feeling wasn't mutual."

Emma's stomach flipped, but even as Regina turned her back to her, she continued to press on. "What if it was?" She asked. "What if you could get them back, and they told you they cared about you too?"

Regina turned a little too sharply and answered matter of fact. "If they had done that initially then I wouldn't have been inspired to produce these photographs, so I suppose I should thank them for their poor timing."

The man chuckled lightly to himself. "The true sign of an artist is the emotion they make us feel."

Emma shook her head ignoring his comment before stepping forward and hastily putting her hand on Regina's, preventing her from turning away. "Regina, wait-"

The brunette pulled her arm away, her eyes dangerous and silently letting Emma know that this was not the time to be discussing anything. The blonde sighed and released her, but not until she took another step forward, invading Regina's personal space as she whispered determinedly. "_I'm sorry_," she insisted with wide desperate eyes. "I'll wait."

With a hopeful half-smile, Emma turned and exited the gallery, pulling her hat over her ears as she stepped into the light snowfall. She crossed the street and leaned against the side of her car, thankful that despite the snow, the temperature wasn't ridiculously freezing and even tolerable. She was more thankful for the fact that through the gallery window she could see that Regina had been watching her leave.

* * *

"Interesting fan you've got there, Ms. Mills," Gold said as he started to walk alongside the rest of the displays.

Regina remained staring out the window where she watched as Emma situated herself against her car. It took the tapping of Mr. Gold's cane to remind her to move on and impress the man.

"I have to say, there's been great improvement in your work," he said when Regina finally caught up. "What changed?"

"I finally realized what I wanted to say through my work," she answered, finally facing the man.

"And what is that?"

Regina glanced one more time out the window before holding a hand up in apology. "I'm sorry, will you excuse me for a moment?"

Without waiting for an answer, Regina turned on her heel and weaved through the crowd to get to the exit, not oblivious to the scowl on Mr. Gold's face as she left the gallery. She tightened her shawl around her shoulders as she stepped onto the road to cross the street, approaching the bundled up blonde quickly.

"What?" She snapped at Emma who rushed to stand up straight.

"Jesus, Regina, you need a jacket," Emma answered eyeing the brunette's barely covered shoulders.

Regina waved her hand dismissively. "Is there any other particular reason you are here other than interfering with another one of my meetings with Gold?"

"That's- oh." Emma glanced past Regina and frowned, no doubt meeting the curious and watchful glare of Gold as he stood watching from the inside.

"Yes, so what do you want?"

Emma bit her lip and glanced down briefly before meeting her eyes with intent. "I didn't take the check."

Regina paused, condensation building up around them as she breathed in deeply attempting to process what Emma had confessed. "What?" She asked again, softer this time.

"I mean, yeah, I took it home but I didn't cash it. I tore it up," Emma rushed to explain.

"You tore it up," Regina repeated, her flat tone masking her emotions.

"Technically I wet it and pulled it into tiny pieces," Emma mumbled.

Regina took a step back and looked off down the street, her head shaking and her jaw tightening. Emma wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't what Regina did next. "Then what the hell have you been doing the last two months?" Regina snapped, back handing the air. If Emma had been an inch closer she would have been on the receiving end of the blow.

Emma opened her mouth to speak, but Regina beat her to it, coming back into her space and glaring down her nose at her. "You were avoiding me, and cancelling on me, and getting mad at _me_ when I was the one who had plans, so what sort of idiotic game were you trying to pull there?" Regina continued.

Emma fidgeted with her thumbs, not even knowing where to begin, but the hardened stare of the woman before her told her she had only so much time left before it was too late. If she were honest with herself, Emma would have realized sooner that missing Regina was taking its toll on her, but there was no time like the present for epiphanies to happen. "I don't deserve you," Emma finally got out.

Regina rolled her eyes, dipping her head in the process. "I'm not interested in your self-pity right now."

"No," Emma cut her off. "I really don't, but I know I want you, and I wanted to give you everything. I wanted to give you the life you're used to, the parties, the dresses, the jewelry, but I couldn't. That's why I worked so much, I just- I don't know, I thought if I could take you to fancy places and hold up against your friends then maybe people would stop looking at me like what the hell is a woman like you doing at my side."

Emma took off her hat and started running her fingers through her hair in nervousness before bunching up the hat in her hands and pulling at the yarn. She looked up under her eyelashes to glance at Regina who remained standing with an unreadable expression on her face. Taking another gulp, Emma continued, gesticulating with her hands to prevent them from fidgeting. "Being with you, it was like, waiting for the other shoe to drop, where you would turn around and realize that you could do better, and I just-"

"You ran," Regina finished for her dryly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Because being with me was so difficult."

"No, not like that," Emma rushed to clarify, her green eyes wide under the sunlight. "Being with you was the most natural thing I've ever done."

Regina scoffed.

"I'm just- god, Regina I'm trying to actually tell you what I've been feeling."

"And what is that?"

"Scared." The answer was one that took Regina by surprise, but it was one that took more strength than Emma cared to admit. She leaned back against her car, letting the nape of her neck rest on the roof. When Regina narrowed her eyes in confusion and brought her shawl more firmly around her arms, Emma shook her head and let out a breathy groan at her own frustrations. "You must be freezing."

"You wanted to talk, so talk," Regina said quietly, the malice leaving her voice and giving no indication that she was leaving.

Emma shrugged before unzipping her jacket and handing it to the brunette whom Emma was sure didn't even realize or care that she was shivering. The giant sweater Emma was wearing underneath was enough to stop the cold, so she held out her winter coat, giving it a shake so that Regina would take it.

Regina rolled her eyes and slipped into the oversized jacket, shoving her hands into the pockets for warmth. Emma smirked lightly as she watched Regina take a deep inhale, and she hoped that Regina was enjoying being basked in Emma's scent again. "I can take care of myself," Regina muttered as she zipped up the coat to her chin.

"I know," Emma said softly. "God, I know you can, and I love you for that-"

"What?" Regina snapped her head up.

"What?" Emma's eyes widened.

"What did you say?"

Emma rubbed her face as if she could wipe away the words that had left her mouth. She really needed to learn how to control her word vomit. "Nothing, I-"

"Nothing?" Regina questioned with a ferocity that told Emma that it was do or die time.

With an aggravated sigh, Emma groaned out and glared at the older woman as if upset she was forced to admit her feelings. "Yeah. I do. I love you, and I-"

"You're telling me this _now_?"

"Jesus Christ, Regina, can you let me finish a sentence please?" Emma yelled out exasperated.

The brunette pursed her lips, but she held herself tightly, her eyes still wide at Emma's confession.

"I messed up," Emma huffed out. "I just, I felt like I had to be someone else if I even wanted to be near you, and then your mom got into my head telling me I was holding you back, and then we fought and it was messy 'cause of both of us, and god I was _so_ mad at you for, for everything you said, and that you listened to your mom about me, and I hate that everything you said about me and about Henry was right, and I was hurt, and all I kept thinking for this past month was that I miss you, and how am I supposed to miss you when I'm mad at you and I'm so mad at me."

Emma breathed out heavily, vapour building with every exhale as she searched the brown eyes before her. Flecks of snow caught on Regina's eyelashes, but the brunette didn't try to blink them away. Emma was tempted to reach out and brush them off, but after all they had gone through, Emma wasn't sure if she was allowed to touch Regina, let alone clear away flecks of snow. So she kept her hands to herself, absentmindedly pulling at the bobbles on her hat before dipping her head, making sure she had Regina's attention. "I realized I miss you so much because I love you, and I know that doesn't change what's happened, but- I don't know. I needed you to know."

Emma stared breathily at Regina who had been immovable since the beginning of her rant. Still, Emma remained quiet, waiting for any sort of response, but as the seconds ticked on and the chill was starting to set in enough to make the flesh of Emma's sweater-covered arms prickle, Emma started to get nervous, shifting from one foot to the other before letting her arms drop to her side. "Now would be a good time to interrupt."

Regina's eyes fluttered as her lips parted to speak, but before she could get any words out, an irritated voice called from behind them. "Ms. Mills."

Regina turned, Emma stepping to the side to look past Regina and see the man Regina had been speaking with earlier.

"Mr. Gold," Regina answered.

"I hope you are aware that my time is valuable and should you decide to step back inside, I may be inclined to offer you a contract of sorts." Though his speech was flowery and polite, even Emma could hear the blatant _get inside or else_ in his tone.

Regina shifted uncomfortably, and if Emma were to have looked upon her face, she would have seen the conflict behind chocolate eyes, unsure which path she should take. Instead, Emma simply saw a woman who neither confirmed nor denied his request, so with a dejected but understanding sigh, Emma stepped forward. She was already the cause for making Regina miss her meeting with this unnaturally frightening man. She would not be the reason for making her miss it a second time. So she placed her hand on the small of Regina's back. The brunette turned slowly, and even then Emma was still unable to see the conflict. With an encouraging smile, the blonde nodded. "Go inside." She leaned closer to whisper into Regina's ear. "No one deserves this more than you." With a spontaneous peck to Regina's cheek, Emma pulled back and leaned against the car, waiting to see Regina's decision.

Regina shook out of Emma's coat, barely looking at the blonde as she handed it back to her. Emma took it, not even bothering to put it on as Regina walked briskly toward Gold and accompanied him inside.

* * *

Emma shut her eyes when Regina's back disappeared behind the door. What was she expecting? Some over the top profession of feelings and all would be well? That's not the way they did things. They skirted around reality until it slapped them in the face. From her spot on the street, Emma could see through the gallery window as Regina shook hands with Mr. Gold and turned to address the crowd in the room. A small smile creeped onto Emma's face as Regina so effortlessly directed the room. With a proud nod, Emma unlocked her car and slid into the driver's seat, tossing her jacket onto the seat beside her as she put her keys into the ignition. Her heater was thankfully cooperative at that moment for a gush of heat warmed her hands as it slowly permeated the space of the beetle.

She meant it when she said Regina deserved this. She knew the battle Regina had to put up with her mother, and Emma knew just as well as Regina that only success could impress Cora Mills.

Still, the reality that this was it for them hurt like a bitch.

Emma dropped her head onto the steering wheel, the horn whimpering at the contact as she breathed in deeply, exhaling just as slowly. She had waited too long. She should have chased Regina down that day and explained then. God, why the hell did she think she knew better?

_'Cause you're too proud and too damn stubborn._

They didn't even get to finish their talk. She didn't know what Regina was thinking or what she was feeling, but Emma was the last thing Regina needed right now. _God, she was an idiot._

The door to the passenger side opened, and before Emma could lift her head from the wheel, Regina had slid in, shutting the door with a creak to prevent the snow from falling in. Emma stared wide-eyed and slackjawed as the brunette lifted her hips to pull the jacket from under her and placed it over her legs.

"You said you'd wait." Regina finally turned and just barely looked Emma in the eye, as if her presence there was enough explanation.

Quite frankly it was, and it made Emma grin, tilting her head in acknowledgment. "I'm still here."

"Then let's talk."


End file.
